The Last Air Bender:Alterations: AangLee
by Everman the guardian of Taco's
Summary: This is the first in a series of stories taking place during Book 2 of Avatar the Last Air bender, depicting what would happen if certain characters met under different cercumstances, explorining new romances, dangers, and tragedies
1. Chapter 1

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_**Fiery fists on wings.**_

Aang sailed over the cloud like an arrow, the cloud bank he just burst through spat little pieces of itself after him in vain as he pierced it.

Summoning all the wind he could use to his disposal he rocketed himself forwards, he had to use the clouds to mask his escape, perhaps even if possible stow away in one of them and using an air orb, stay afloat inside until-

But no, it was too late, for he glided along the seemingly endless field of cloud in the heavens, something from hell spewed up, slowly. It was like seeing a Whale-Walrus rising slowly out of the water, and knowing that you could not swim away in time. Only this was no whale walrus, in fact it dwarfed it in size. It was a large…metal dirigible, a fire nation air ship. It had predicted his intentions…

* * *

Meanwhile bellow this scene many miles away in fact, Katara kept her gaze to the sky. The air was clear where they were, not a cloud in the sky. She squeezed her hair she had slung over her shoulder.

Aang was gone too long, it was far too long… "I think…" she started. "We should go after him…" she heard, cutting her off.

She turned annoyed to see Toph leaning against a rock, arms folded as usual, looking at space.

"I just think that Aang might be in ACTUAL danger…Okay!" Katara hissed. "Whether you care if the savior of the world is in trouble or not…"

"Hey hey! Easy sis!..." Sokka said siding between them without moving his feet it seemed, the grin on his face was huge, and his hands were out between them.

"I'm sure Aang has a perfectly good reason for checking out the west end thoroughly, he probably just found another way and is making sure it's safe, he's done this before…"

Katara glared over his shoulder at Toph who's face, nor posture hadn't change one inch. Her hair blew from in front of her face for a second, and Toph could see her eyes, glaring at nothing, so she was mad too, or concerned. Sokka saw them too before her hair moved back.

"Look…" he said putting his hands up between them again, "I know that tensions are high right now…but Aang agreed to go and make sure the path was okay for Appa to take us all so we wouldn't have to worry about being shot down agai- …."

That's what it sounded like Sokka was saying for he was lifted an hurled through the air by the patch of ground he was standing on by Toph who slammed her toes into the earth to cause it.

Katara had a brief expression of concern for her brother, who seemed to find himself in this situations hourly, then glanced away when she knew the thump wouldn't be that traumatic…as usual, honestly Sokka was like the invincible man…she'd grown up seeing him walk into things, off of things, through things, and still never have any permanent damage. Gran said he was blessed, ironically…

She turned her gaze to the blind girl who had vaulted him, she wasn't folded armed now…her shoulders were squared. Both her feet were planted on the ground, like little little trees. Her hands weren't in fists but they may as well have been.

"You got a problem? Princess?" Toph said, Katara glared down at Toph, WISHING she could see by whatever sensory way she perceived the world, the look on her face…

"You noticed?" she said overly sarcastic.

Toph ignored the comment, "Look I don't know why your blaming me for a dopey decision YOU two made…"

"It wasn't dopey!..." Katara said. "He wanted to ensure our safe passage, you just gave him an Additional errand!" she glared at her.

Toph made like she was yawning, or actually was, she never could tell..making it all the more annoying to see.

"Well sorry if I decided to make his little excursion more productive…" she said up at her without looking up.

"How is it productive if he's lost out there?" Katara asked shooting her open palm in the direction of the sky.

Toph smiled, "He isn't lost, twinkle toes knows better than to do that…" Katara was still red.

"And besides, if he's taking overly long it means he has more time." Katara glared at her still at hearing this.

"More time to what?" she said condescendingly. "Get an imaginary medal in the things you think he needs to be a great bender?"

She used quotation marks with her fingers saying the last part.

Toph began walking in the other direction to the side. Katara was about to let out an _"UGH!"_but it was gulped down when Toph cut her off

"I don't think he needs to be a great bender, I KNOW he does, and you do too, you've seen that fire nation B-witch we went up against, if it was 1 on 1 twinkle toes would've been deep fried, it took that fire nation what's-his–face and his uncle to help him before we even got there.

Katara sighed a little remembering him, the scar on his face, the anger in his eyes, or eye, she couldn't really make out the slit that was his scared eye. The disappointment on the elderly man's face, which was apparently his uncle.

No one it was clear had any love for that, (as Toph put called her), "BE-witch", not even her own soldiers it seemed. She was ruthless and kept ruthless company, that knife thrower with the cold eyes, and accuracy of a spitting spider mantis.

The little jumpy what's-it from the circus of crazy who had the ability to take your bending away with a touch. Toph was right to an extent, she knew that if it came down to it, Aang would have to find, kill or defeat the Fire Lord alone…it would not be their fight then but his own.

* * *

Aang soared over the clouds doing a spinning technique he used to make the clouds follow after him in a trail, and looped himself up and down as he spun.

The huge vehicle just continued to bare down on him, slowly, yet quick enough to keep up…like the bad dreams you have where even though you're running fast enough, and they're slow, the person coming after you is always a few paces behind you.

His hope was to confuse the air ship to air ship by the strands of cloud he trailed after him, make them have to ponder which way he went, like leaving multiple foot prints…it would have been much simpler, if only the clouds weren't as thin here in mass, there was not enough for him to dive under to lose them with.

Still they hadn't-…there we go…

Aang dived to the side to avoid a VOOSH from a fire ball sailing past his glider wing, he saw a portion of his other wing being eliminated by something behind him again, and let his glider fold back so as to free fall just in time to avoid the huge fire ball.

He quickly of course intended to unfold his glider and zoom away under the cloud bank after he fell through it. But as he fell through the grayish, puffy white mass, he could see something bellow him, a mountain top?

He quickly grabbed his robe portion of his tunic and made a gust of air catch it like a parachute, he stopped his fall just enough to not slam but hit with his feet whatever it was underneath the cloud range.

It was metal. Immediately…Aang's eyes grew in terror. The mass he was now standing on was not only metal, it was hollow. And it was moving, upwards, just as slowly as the air ship before, because it WAS an air ship, a second one. He'd been trapped.

The Fire nation ship rose out of the cloud bank, swiftly and ominously, Aang ran along the top of it looking for the part that looped downwards so he would know it was the other side of the ship, so he could jump off, but he noticed his feet were making too much of a clanging noise, they'd hear him, if they hadn't already. He couldn't see for the clouds that were in front of his face, he began using air to blow a path ahead of him so he could see where the end of the ship was so he could at least jump off.

Finally, he saw the tail fin of the back of the air ship. He dashed towards it as fast as he could, and jumped just in time before blue colored flame scorched where his feet where, he flipped and landed on the tail fin like a lemur monkey, looking down at where the fire had cut through the thick cloud they were in. He heard footsteps, but he already knew who it was, and he did a back flip off the tail fin of the ship to avoid several knives entering into the metal of the fin.

_Oh great it was her too_…that could only mean the third one wasn't far behind. The sinister sisters as Sokka had called them. _"All they needed was a cauldron to stir…"_ this had made Aang laugh at a time, but now it was far from funny.

In back flipping completely off the tail fin he spun his glider staff around and around like a wind mill and just in time to deflect another blast of blue fire that singed his hand in the process. Aang swallowed back a yell. He let himself free fall again, now able to jump off the ship, and watched as the metal hull of the ship zoomed upwards passing him by, he saw the red portion of the fire nation emblem go by him, and then the he heard the gears of machinery, only it was on the outside…

He immediately stopped in his free fall to make his glider open and spun himself around still going down, and just in time for if he hadn't he'd of gone into an outer propeller of the ship. Now he was bellow the air ship, but he also knew that he was perhaps in more danger, that meant that he was in view of the bender gun man. True to his prediction, he saw glowing balls heading towards him in the cloud. He spun in mid air, diving and bending like Momo did to escape predators in the air, each flame just missing him, and he would've done it more skill fully if it weren't for the fact that his hand was burnt.

He had an air ship bellow him, and one above him in the cloud range, and one IN the cloud with him, this was not good. Suddenly he realized something that made him want to smack his own head; clouds carried rain, rain was water!

Focusing with his burnt hand, using his good one for steering, Aang brought some of the cloud with him as he flew toward where most of the fire balls were coming from. He could make out the shapes of men from the ships windows now, punching at him and each punch carried a fire ball at the end of their fists which soared at him. He dodged them best he could and kept zooming at them he could see now they were suspicious of his intentions, was he really going to ram them? _YES!_

He threw his hand forwards making a cloud umbrella in front of him and zoomed at them with all the speed he could muster from the wind. In that time he also remember Katara's training focused on the water in the cloud, making it get more condensed, then more thick…he could not see through the cloud which now a water umbrella, and finally, he made the droplets more solid. BAM! An Ice hard battering ram smashed into the side of the firing bay denting it, Aang kicked off of the shattered battering ram and zoomed downwards knowing that the impact had at least knocked the gun men off their feet enough for him to make his escape unfired upon.

Aang now made his way in a straight line knowing he'd be out of the huge cloud bank in a few seconds, hopefully it was on the side furthest from the air ships above and below. The fates were kind today, no air ships, he could- WHOA!

He spun in midair again to avoid a fire ball, he _HATED_ Fire, why did he have to learn such a violent death bringing element? He looked over his shoulder to the air ship in the distance along with the cloud, but also what looked like birds growing bigger and bigger behind him.

Only they weren't birds, they were gliders, gliders developed by the Mechanist, oh why did that quack of a man and his son have to develop things that only HIS people were supposed to know how to do…? He usually didn't think in these words or insults but he was getting tired of this. Toph had said that he needed to take some more time away from the group to learn how to handle himself on his own with his 3 new bending abilities, she hadn't meant of him to run into fire nation ships or fall into a trap after all, though she'd probably call this good practice.

As they neared he could tell from over his shoulder they weren't like his glider at all other than the wing design, they were bigger, and had an area for the person to either lay down on it on the top, so as to steer and shoot fire, or a place to sit down like a toboggan, he guessed it was for non-benders, for it had sharp and blunt edges on the front he could only imagine were fore picking up their prey in the air, or latching onto another vehicle…in this case him.

He didn't like this, how come they were able to anticipate his every move? No doubt there was a ship waiting bellow in case there was a lake he tried to escape in. Who was he fooling, he knew who it was who was a step ahead of him.

It was that fire nation princess lady, the mean one , with the look in her eye like a tiger wolfs. The one who had also shot her uniquely colored BLUE fire ball at him, and scorched his hand. He knew he wasn't supposed to harm any living being, but he REALLY wished that his knocking into the ship had shaken her off of the roof of the blimp enough for her to fall and the Earth and gravity bellow take over, who did NOT have his vows.

Suddenly he turned upwards in time to avoid a glider plane coming up from under him in an attempt to capture him in its clawed front, it would hook around his upper torso, while the blunt part most likely either knocked the wind out of him or broke his back.

How could the fire nation invent such things of suffering and hell out of these beautiful machines his people had made to simply be that much closer to their element?

Aang realized now that he was going to have to deal with these ships himself, not out run them, and do it relatively fast before the air ships behind him were able to turn around fast enough to chase after him themselves, it was bad enough with these things buzzing around him and shooting like fire bending dragon flies. If the air ships joined the fray on top of that, he knew he wouldn't make it.

He knew what he'd have to do, but he'd have to use the clouds to do it, he remembered hearing Katara talking about the Lobster squid, and how it bent is ink to confuse its foes. He had to do the same with the clouds, it would take concentration he didn't know he had, but he knew he needed, and he was already too far off course. He spun his glider downwards like a drill under the gliders that were pursuing him from behind, and flew as fast as he could towards the large clouds that were like mountains that he'd just exited.

He could see one of the air ships coming out from under neither it, he noticed now that it was larger than the other two, slower as well, and from it were coming the small glider planes that were being such pests. It must be the mother ship, an air ship specifically designed to carry those little gliders inside of, a carrier blimp.

If he took it out, everyone would have to abandon ship, and not begin able to make wind like he could be forced to land, that would mean landing on the other fire nation ships, it would cause enough confusion for him to maybe escape. He could hear the rush of the gliders behind him, and the SHOOSH of flames soaring just out of reach of this feet.

He flew toward the large ship and immediately zoomed over the roof of it avoiding the tail fins and went to the back. He could see in the back of the blimp was an open door, or hatch, revealing a kind of hanger inside the massive ships, the gliders hung from the walls of the inside like bats, and when they were piloted, were detached and used the moment to zoom out the door before hitting the bottom.

He could tell the gliders behind him were wondering what he was doing and weren't firing to see, he quickly landed on the ledge of the opening of the hanger to face over 2 dozen fire nation pilots in their skeletal looking flight masks gawking at him, he smiled cheerily at them then with a gust of air sucked a massive portion of the cloud outside into the ship blinding everyone.

Everyone in a panic began shooting fire balls everywhere, which was what he was hoping for, he saw fire balls hit gliders, setting them a blaze, walls of the ship and their mechanics, he even heard a few yelps amidst the fog he'd created. And now for the Squid part, he was thrilled to be able to use it so soon. He yanked another portion of the cloud outside into the hanger and began stepping out until his feet were literally on the edge.

He then as hard as he could, blew a gust of CHILLING wind and used his water bending, it sent him backwards but the technique worked, a thick layer of ice now encompassed the hanger opening of the blimp, at least he had plugged up their hole. Now he only had to worry about the ones still in the air. He opened his glider again and zoomed past the shocked fire nation pilots who were doing circles in the air outside waiting for him to get away from the ship so they could get a shot at him.

He used the same technique from before dragging a cloud with him and slung it at one of the propellers of the ship, he then did the same to the other propeller, and immediately froze them both as hard as he could make them. Standing on the ice block now, he used the sharp end of his glider to actually puncture a small hole near where the propeller was now frozen, he could hear a low hissing and smiled to himself, then flew off to rejoin his rivals in the air. He could tell one of the Fire nation pilots with his mask visor off was as mad as hornet bee's. He zoomed at Aang who effortlessly avoided him.

Going even more according to Aangs plan, the young pilot smashed his fist in the air sending a large fire ball at the ice pack that now kept the propeller from turning. He heard someone yell NO from their plane glider…but it was too late, _BAAAAAAAMMMMM!_ –the fire nation propeller was destroyed, along with that side of the blimp, the gas exploded at the touch of the fire ball, and now both propellers were free from the ice…and the blimp itself.

He grinned at his handy work but now noticed a shape eclipsing the sun light above him, the second blimp, with the fire princess on it if he remembered right, was now coming out of the heavy clouds above him. He was NOT eager to see what she had in store to retribute her air force.

He now used the rest of his squid plan, retreat. He dove into another thick portion of the cloud and zoomed out again, taking the massive cloud with him, it was the size of 10 Appa's, so maybe not THAT massive compared to his pursuers but it would have to do.

He could hear the sound of the glider planes pursuing him, but not all of them, he knew some of them had gotten it in their head that like anyone, their arms would get tired and they'd have to land to avoid falling out of their control. Aang looked behind him at his cloud trail, he clamped his toes tightly together, they weren't literally holding the cloud between them, but it was a good visual for bending the cloud, behind him.

He wasn't even really paying that much attention which direction he was going in, he was just focused on getting away from the blimps. The smaller they were, the safer he was, and as the airship awkwardly tried to stay level in the sky, he could see that indeed, it was encumbering the path of the other two, his plan had worked…the gliders behind him weren't finished yet.

He had to make them return to the ships to land, but how could he do so? He couldn't risk trying to out fly them, he'd been flying nearly the whole day and they'd only just started, he'd be the one tired before them. He had to lose them, pure and simple. He jetted towards another cloud range in the distance, behind him the blimps were the size of beetles so he would be well enough away. He noticed something else as well, no fire balls, the ones chasing him must not be benders, finally…no dodging in mid air.

When he reached the huge cloud layer he disappeared in it, leaving his own cloud behind to hopefully bind them from seeing which way he'd gone in. He turned around mid air to see if he was being pursued still on the top side of the cloud. No. Nothing.

He flipped his glider shut and made an air orb to sit on, holding it to his chest, he didn't want any motion to give away where he was. Nothing still…just sounds of them flapping by underneath…he even heard some to the side, but didn't see anyone…finally the flapping sounded distant. He waited still, straining to hear if any more of them lingered. Nothing…

Had his plan worked?

He heard a female voice go _"GRRR"_ in front of him and immediately back flipped off of his orb grabbing his glider open to catch his fall. Over his head zoomed a single glider plane, and in the cock pit was long haired girl in a pink tunic.

He spun upwards to go further into the cloud, and could feel the tip of the claw on his foot, his eyes grew to immense size and dove downward again to be in the cloud as best he could to be at least a little less visible, but could hear his female pursuer still on his heels, literally. He decided to go on the offensive and fly upwards to try to stun his attacker and make her go off course. He could tell that it wasn't that Fire Nation princess, but she was fierce whoever she was. He turned around sharply, and looping, flew upwards as he did, the other flyer manned their glider to go upwards in the same motion not to be hit, in doing so he could now see her face more clearly, and she could see his.

It was the jumping girl, the cute one with the mean grin when she made you numb by hitting pressure points, but now she was mad. And so was he, she had hurt Katara once, maybe she didn't like him back the way he liked her, but she still mattered to him. He flew his glider higher, and she did likewise, he spun as to knock the side of his into her wing, she spun the same direction to avoid it, and to do the same to his much more fragile wing. The sup in the air like this a few times until they were like a cork screw, going round and round, he'd hoped that maybe the motion would make her ill, but he remembered also that she did acrobatics from amazing heights, so it was a lot to hope for.

Still he had flown longer then her, and by the make of hers, he knew it couldn't fold up like his. Which he did now, and freefell again. He shot downwards into the cloud bank, he looked behind him and did not see her pursuing. He grinned, then suddenly he felt a pain in his gut and was jolted to the right, and felt metal on his side. She had actually done a nose dive and flown ahead of him under him and now had him by the torso in her gliders claw trap. He looked across it at her smiling down at him, "Gotcha!" she said.

His staff, his staff was knocked out of his hand from the impact, he was trapped. No, he wouldn't let this be how it ended, he'd just have to hijack HER glider, he clapped his hands together and made a puff of cloud come down in front of her face. He had hoped she would release one of the handle bars to free her vision…but she did even better, or worse…..she used BOTH hands leaving the glider un-steered.

She pawed at her face making a horrible fuss. Aang actually yelled at his captor, "HEY keep your eyes on the sk-" He turned around and saw something on the other side of the cloud bank….and it wasn't another cloud. "LOOK OUT!" Just in time the girl got the cloud off her face and screamed in fright at the ROCK wall they were headed towards, and that Aang would hit first.

Aang yelled out to the girl to release him and NOT shut her eyes. This availed to nothing. Thinking fast, Aang edged as much as he could to get out of the claw trap, and gathered as much air into his lungs as he could, then blew out, hard. The wind howled out of his lips hitting the wings of the glider. At first it seemed like their momentum wasn't stalling. Then finally, he noticed they were slowing down, but still they were heading towards he sheer wall of rock and the girl who was covering her eyes still was not getting her hair he'd blown in her face out of her eyes. "HEY!" she said mid scream as if she hadn't been screaming in the first place.

Aang spun himself around, and it wasn't like doing so didn't hurt, he focused his chi and jetted his feet forward, and blew again, this time at the wall. Fortunately the plane had stopped enough in momentum for it not to break or damage anything to kick off the wall, but it still hurt up his legs through to his hip to do so. Aang yelped "YOUCH!"

The glider plane turned from the kick, but not enough for the wing of it to hurtle into the rock wall, and crunch against it, hard. They weren't shooting at a wall of rock any more, just the ground, where ever that was below them. Aang couldn't do much now, he was already too tired and winded, and encumbered from the tightness of that claw. He yelled above the wind out to the girl, "LET ME LOOSE!" She looked at him, "WHAT?" she said above the howl of their decline through the clouds. "Let me free and I'll Save us both!" He expected her to ask to be convinced why he wouldn't just let her die, but instead she actually said, "But I have to capture you." With a serious and seemingly innocent face.

_**"JUST LET ME OUT OF THIS CLAW LADY!"**_ Aang yelled, he opened his eyes from the yell to see her eyes as big as saucers.

_"Ok…."_ She said hardly above the wind, and pushed a control in front of her, and the claw released him. Just in time, for the middle part, nose of the plane between them snapped in half as it met with a rock spire. She screamed again waving her hands as her part of the glider plane hurtled downwards with no means of stopping, Aang looked at her growing smaller and glared. He turned his body in the air, and his feet met with the rock wall they were falling next to, he then began running down the rock wall as if it was race track, downwards, keeping her in site, he saw a wing portion of the glider turning in mid air and kicked off the wall to grab it, he got it, and then used it as best he could to glide a little.

When he realized it was durable enough he straightened his body head first, and shot downward like a rocket after the girl who was still screaming. He finally caught up with her, and grabbed her, she in reflex grabbed on to his body with her arms and legs still screaming into his chest. This made Aang cough, OOF! And he then held up the wing he'd had under his arm and blew on it, it caught his wind, and then finally the actual wind, and they glided down like a leaf eventually through the clouds.

Finally the girl's screams faded when she realized her hair wasn't shooting upwards from the fall, and the wind wasn't howling as much against her ears. She opened one big eye, than looked up at Aangs. He was still looking at the wing he was holding up like a parachute.

She was still straddling his body with her own as if she were part of him. Aang noticed it too, he was losing blood to his arms and mid-section, she had strong arms and strong thighs and it felt like he was in a vice.

"Why haven't we landed ye- " she said then with a THUMP, they both landed on something prickly but softer then the ground would be. The rolled off of this thing, which Aang could only guess was a tree, and fell through what he now knew to be branches. Out of the tree they fell down to the semi grassy ground…which was slanted downwards. Aang stood up, then felt the body of the Fire Nation girl smack against his from the tree out of a branch and they both rolled down the hill head over heels.

Finally they both stopped their momentum by landing face first, in very wet…puddles. Aang looked up from the puddle weary eyed from the whole event, at two looking back at him. The frog-newt in front of him croaked, and he plopped his face back in the puddle shutting his eyes.

* * *

Meanwhile back in the air, Fire Nation princess Azula looked out the window of her ship. "BLAST!" she cursed underneath her breath. The fire nation captain behind her ran up and saluted,

"Report…" she said in her hissing way. He was about to do just that when he was cut off, _"Ty Lee didn't come back…"_ Mai said leaning on the door way of the room. Azula huffed, "Fool…" the captain finally spoke up,

"All but 1 of the 21 fire wings have returned…your majesty…" he said standing up straight. "I just heard her you numb skull…" Azula spat, "What I want to know, is why you let that brat get away, we HAD him he was in our grasp literally, he couldn't land anywhere without us knowing, we'd of tired him out!"

"We didn't count on him using water out of the air like that to stall our propellers…" The captain protested.

"Out…" she ordered, her back still to him. He bowed and marched out the room hurriedly, "And when that simpleton on springs gets back ask her WHY she hasn't come back with the Avatar…." She said still looking out the window. Mai's arms were still folded, _"Not much for confidence are you…"_ she said in her monotone way of not caring. Azula just leaned on the ledge of the view port, "Those fools have something else coming if they think I'm forgiving them for letting him slip that close into our hands…"

Mai looked out in the same direction, "Think she'll be okay out there?" she said without letting on even a hint of concern.

"She had better be…" Azula said, "I want to tell her what I think of her failure myself….make speed ahead to the-"

Before she could make another call to the pilots of the blimp, she heard an alarm from the main deck, coming through the metal pipe. She picked it up and put it to her ear, "This had better be about the Avatar…" she said.

"No ma'am, another force of nature…look to the east your highness…" She glanced out the window to the east and saw something dark in the distance, it wasn't her blimps, although the color was the same, and it was further away, meaning it was much bigger to be blimp sized to her vision that far away.

"Storm clouds…" she said, _"damn it…"_

"Yes, Rang Kai ones too, short of a Hurricane and very erratic." The officer replied. "Our carrier ship has already sustained damage; it would be wise to regroup at a safer location in air space."

She barked at him, "If we go now we lose that Avatar!…"

The voice crackled over the tube in response: "Ma'am…frankly we won't endure a storm that size in the condition we're in…"

Mai leaned off the railing, looking at the look on Azula's face; it was her pondering face whenever she had a master plan of what to make of recent events.

"Then neither will he…." She said looking at the clouds.

_"What?"_Mai said not hiding her actual shock, although it wasn't very excited shock at that, she WAS Mai after all.

"Full steam back to a better point above the storm, and the carrier as far away as can be managed, we'll return to the lower ground area by tank and sweep the terrain…" she said into the cone.

"Yes your grace…" the voice said back then clicked off. Mai was now looking gawked at Azula.

"You can't just leave her out there!" Mai said crossly folding her arms. Azula looked out the window,

"You heard,…no one will be able to do anything until the storm has done its dirty work and passed…Ty will have to make it back before that. Captain, if we're to get all 3 ships out of the way in time we need move them above where the storm will be and fast…"

Mai's finger tapped on her arm, clanking against the metal knife that was concealed under her sleeve.

"I let my emotions get in the way just like her…one avatar we can always catch is not worth the this fleet being torn to bits and not find finding him further on."

"And Ty isn't either?" Mai said raising a brow… Azula didn't answer, she just gave her one of the looks she had that said _You DARE question me…?_

"Ty's a sturdy thing…" Azula said looking back, "She'll make it back…"

Mai was already leaving the room, the door hissed shut behind her, as she did she actually breathed a concerned sigh she didn't often let people hear… She and Azula both knew that Azula wasn't sure about her last statement.

She was focused and the Avatar being torn apart in that storm was apparently more important then making sure Ty Lee wasn't…


	2. Chapter 2

**Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations**

_Unfriendly heavens._

Meanwhile on the ground, Aang was just getting up out of the mud, he looked up expecting to see the frog he'd seen before passing out, but only instead saw the rock it had been standing on. The mud had caked on his skin now and was itching as he got his senses back. He looked to the left to see the fire nation girls pink tunic sticking out of the mud from before, but saw nothing. He suddenly froze, he heard a female grunt, or squeak, and just in time moved out of the way of a heel kick to his back.

"WHOA!" he exclaimed moving out of the way.

"EASY WOMAN!" Aang said wincing from having to move so quickly, he was now circling her as she circled him. He'd just saved her life, was she really that ungrateful? He decided to go the route of talking to his opponent, as he really, REALLY did not want to engage her, although he guessed he would have to sooner or later.

"I just saved your life…" he said eying her feet carefully. She made a move for his leg and then put her foot where his was when he moved it and spun off it to kick him, which he blocked, but not without recoiling from the force, she was as strong as a well fit man.

"YOU?" she said angrily, "You made me crash my….FLY-y thing!" Aang recovered from the kick to give her a cock eyed look, "_FLY-ey_ thing?" he said in disbelief.

_She dove at him in rage flying at him in a jump kick dive_. _He dodged it but felt the breeze_, she was good. "Easy!" he said. "I mean before that? You know…you free falling…."_He dodged another strike in the form of a punch._ "Me diving…" _dodges sweep_, "…catching you mid air…." He backed up to avoid more attacks, "Just a few seconds ago? Before I nearly broke my back doing it?" He said hiding his exasperation very poorly.

The girl actually looked at him big eyed putting her hands down, "Oh yeah….." she said in a way as if she'd just now thought of that.

Aang just stared at her, surely she wasn't this…simple, and this was him thinking this of all people. She suddenly reassumed her position of attack in a stance.

"But you're the Avatar and you still have to go down…." Aang rolled his eyes, he was getting so tired of this "Mission or purpose in life to capture or destroy the Avatar, what had he ever done to them! …oh yeah abandon them,… _STILL_ he was here now….

She continued trying to grab him or poke him with those…magic finger that could take away bending or feeling in your arms, he avoided those like they were blades.

"Yes!"

he said finally, raising his hand in a fluid motion for no apparent reason. The girl heard the gurgle of water from the puddle rising up behind her, and she moved out of the way.

"I am the Avatar…"

he said continuing, suddenly the earth beneath her shifted causing her to slip back into the place where the puddle was, now dry, and the water fell back down on her as she fell on her seat, and clasped around her arms and feet like heat seekers. Katara had taught him well, immediately he froze the water, and hardened the earth of the mud. He took a breath, "..And right now, I have bigger things to do then be captured AGAIN…"

The girl struggled against the earth and ice mold he'd made to trap her to the earth.

"My friends'll come for me!" she said after him glaring. Aang dusted himself off, walking over to look at the smashed glider, seeing if it were any way salvageable. Aang looked at the clouds above him hearing a rumbling, this caught her attention too; Her face paled.

"That's a thunder storm…" Aang said, "Not likely, it's too dangerous for your "_FLY-Y_ things…." The girl looked up, "Still, you've nowhere to run, they'll catch you before you can get any further from the Wung Sho Valley." she said trying to mask her nervousness.

Aang decided since he was leaving anyway to have some fun with this, "In case you haven't noticed lady...this ISN'T a valley, or even close, if it where there wouldn't be canyons, there's nothing but hills as far as the eye can see in Wung Sho."

He gestured to the spires, "These rock walls are nowhere near where we were, we're WAY off course, or didn't you notices while flying after me.

Her eyes grew bigger, "And you're going to leave me here?" she said.

Aang looked at her, "Look I'm sorry for leaving you in this lurch, but honestly, you'd only try kidnapping me again, and to what end, even if you could get me to come along with you, we have no idea where we are, unless you do…"

Her eyes quivered a little as the thunder rolled. "You scared of thunder?" Aang asked.

She shook her head… Aang sighed again, "Why are you people so afraid?" The girl looked up at him and seemed to forget her obvious fear of the storm coming.

"Is peace really that terrible a thing to you that you'd resort to kidnapping and destruction to avoid it?"

The girl looked mad, "We're not scared!" she said, _So there_ like. "The Fire Nation is an unstoppable force…" she said with a spark of what Aang could only guess was patriotism.

"It spreads like a disease to all it comes to, causing destruction and depression, how is that GOOD?" Aang asked, "…And if it's so unstoppable, why would you be worried about me?"

Suddenly lighting crashed, Aang flinched at the sound but nothing more, the girl just screamed. "Not afraid of storms aye?" He said folding his arms.

"LIGHTING!" She said hurriedly, "I'M SCARED OF LIGHTING!" She sounded genuinely freaked out.

Aang actually felt sorry for her…a little… there was something about her that was…child like almost, like one of the temple students who were much smaller then Aang afraid of the lighting.

"Don't worry…"Aang said looking upwards, "Lighting will only hit what's furthest from the ground, those rock tops- " He said pointing to the spires above them…but he didn't continue past that sentence…suddenly a_CRASH_ Filled the canyon they were in, and lighting streaked all around them, Aang ducked and fell flat on the ground next to the fettered fire nation girl, who was screaming her head off, and he was sure she was crying.

"These mountains must have iron in them!" Aang said, he still heard her screaming not caring or probably even knowing what that had to do with a thing.

He immediately speed up his movement crawling like Momo over to the girl and told her to lay flatter then she was, this she heard and comprehended, smacking her head back down into the mud still quivering and whimpering. He immediately unfroze and unmolded the earth and water off her. He grabbed her hand.

_**"Roll over and follow me!**_


	3. Chapter 3

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_**Stop, drop, scream**_

Aang and the Fire nation girl ran as fast as they could through the canyon, every so often Aang would tell her to drop, and immediately they would hug the earth getting as flat as they could. The girl had already got a bloody lip from smacking against the rock hardness of an area they had to drop on, but it wasn't as bad as being fried, so she didn't complain, thankfully….

_CRASH!_

Lighting crashed against the upper walls, sometimes as low as their level in which case they had to drop down. Ty had even bitten her lip from knocking her chin against the hard rock ground, she'd of cried at the Avatar for it if they didn't have to keep stop, dropping, and rolling to escape this-

CRASH!

WHY WAS IT A LIGHTING STORM! She'd had nightmares like this, but it was always that Azula was mad at her, and SHE had made the lightning storm.

Seeing Azula mad had always…well actually that was norm, but KNOWING that she was mad at her, that was frightening. Like knowing a shark cat is in the water, but being in the water with it, seeing that dorsal fin coming at you, that's a different kind of fear entirely.

Aang hadn't counted on this, thankfully some of the spires weren't metal, some of them were however, and that was enough to be afraid, they could only get low to the ground so long in hopes the bolts didn't reach out to them, Master Soato had told him lighting is the demanding force, that must be pacified, it must reach out to another form of life, it must be united with it, even if it leaves said force lifeless in its wake. He had heard fables of someone who had been struck by lighting and survived. Master Soato had also told him that lightning was life, and was the most intense of its forms in our world, and if one was at peace with themselves, they could survive that life running through it, as long as they were willing to let it pass through them.

Right now, Aang just wanted this life to keep _missing_ them if even by a hair, he knew that its demanding nature had to reach out to ONE of them sooner or later in an attempt to get back to the earth, and they were for all he knew atop a high mountain, furthest from the earth as they could get. Suddenly in a flash of light striking one of the cliffs edges that were apparently metal, Aang could see from its glow reflecting on the opposite wall that there was a gap, an opening, a cave.  
Squeezing the girls hand he said, "Come on!" and darted as fast as he could towards the opening in the wall. He was noticing that the side of the canyon wall with the cave in it wasn't being struck as much, probably meaning no iron in it on that side.

Suddenly lightning struck again, they both instinctively dropped, and lightning lept from the wall to their left, down onto a boulder in front of them between them and the cave opening. Lightning scattered from the boulder when hit like sparks from a fireworks, in all directions and the girl screamed and buried her face in Aangs shoulder. Aang winced too, completely scared, but determined not have this be the way the Avatar went out, if he were to leave this world, it would be in the process of saving it, not while being stranded with some fire nation girl.

He looked up from the ground, spitting up some grass that had ended up in his mouth and looked across the way at the cave, and the boulder that had metal in it, standing in front of them, like a guard.

Aang waited until he could hear thunder clapping again, more lighting would come soon, as soon as it did, they'd move. Wait…Aang thought, wait….he squeezed her hand more and said in her ear,

**"When I say run, you run, you hear me?"** he said as loudly as he could. She whimpered back what Aang thought was a confirmation, and he looked again at the Cave across from them.

**"Ready…."** He said, -BAM- Lighting struck the rock and it sent sparks flying to and fro, then it stopped.

**"NOW!" **_**"RUN!"**_ Aang said and darted up, taking her with him, she was alongside him running nearly faster than he was and began pulling him along instead. They both dove into the cave and Aang slid on his back facing the opening and rose up a mound of earth to cover the entrance. The girl was curled up in a ball against one of the cave walls as light flashed through the openings, semi lightening the entire cave.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the camp site, Katara was staring up at the stars…it was so peaceful….so beautiful…she wished Aang were here. Toph was a pest, there were no two ways about it, but she had been right, Aang had to learn to handle himself on his own and not be so dependant in case he should ever for some reason be separated from them unintentionally. But Toph was also right in another area…that wasn't the real reason she was upset. It wasn't that she didn't think Aang COULD come back, she was afraid he wouldn't WANT to come back….after what she'd said.


	4. Chapter 4

**Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations**

_Stranded_

Azula sat in her chamber, meditating, cross-legged. Her eyes were shut, and her breathing was irregularly slow, as was the way to meditate in the form of Sheng Hieki, like that of the steady fueling of a fire, keeping the gas seeping in, so was the channeling of the chi, building it up…building it up, letting it flow, then building it up again…until she was like a furnace.

She breathed a little more normally, the candles on either side of her bed glowed through the curtain that surrounded her bed on which she now meditated. She saw her mother…what? Why was she seeing her? She was thinking of conquest, dominance, the glory that was the Fire Nation, that was her. "Azula" she squinted her eyes shut, and the candles flickered a little with motion.

_"Azula…"_ she heard the dream say…

"You're not my mother…" she said defiantly at first, "Your just a distraction…a sentiment trying to keep me unfocused on my goal…the side of me that desires to be normal like everyone else….well it's not in my blood to be normal….I am Azula of the Fire Nation, granddaughter and prodigy Fire Azulon, daughter of -"

_"Your __MY__ daughter too…"_ the voice said warmly and sadly, _"You can come to me for help you know…you know your brother does when he feels alone…"_**  
**  
"I DON'T NEED AN APPIRITIONS HELP!" Azula said, "The Fire Nation can exist without the pandering of the spirit realm…And I'm nothing like that simpleton-istic…outcast, of a brother…"

The dream continued in reply: _"You are still my daughter…it's alright to feel ashamed for making that choice you did…there's nothing wrong with being wrong, you just have to-"_

Azula's teeth clenched, he eyes slammed shut and the fires on either side of her burned brightly, almost reaching the height of the ceiling. **"I'M NOT WRONG!"** She roared, **"I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, IF TY LEE DIES IT WON'T BE MY FAULT, IT'LL BE HERS! HERS!"**

_"..Fix your mistakes…."_ The apparition said to finish becoming quieter.

"I DON'T MAKE MISTAKES! THEY ARENT TOLERATED! SHE'S WEAK! THAT'S WHY SHE'S IN DANGER ITS NOT MY FAULT! ITS NOT!"

"Azula…azula…azula azula…?" the voice echoed.

She belted out loud, **"IT'S NOT!"**

_-VOOSH!_- Fire jetted to the ceiling from the candles at her side, scattering across the ceiling. "AZULA!" a voice said, it wasn't her mothers, but she knew it.

She opened her eyes and saw the familiar silhouette of Mai's hair, the candles immediately sloped down to their normal ember, which was now not nearly as bright since the candle wax was nearly all gone from the inferno Azula had just kindled. Azula parted her curtains with the chain that hung from the canopy of her bed.

"What is it?" she said blinking her eyes, Mai was up against the metal of her door, her eyes were now dilating and going back to their usual size, she had apparently been startled by her unintentional exertion.

"Practicing?" Mai guessed, double purposely, Azula growled under her breath, "I was meditating…"

"Oh I see…" Mai said looking at the room with her usual mellow tone, but in the way of "_I can see that…_"

"Do you have a reason for distracting me?" Azula said putting her hands on her knees.

Mai was leaning on the door now, arms folded, and crossed her legs, "Well…other than to say the storms getting worse out there, why it was you were making such noise…"

Azula swallowed and attempted to hide it, hide it well that is, but still it was an attempt.

"What is it?" Mai said. Azula scoffed, "What is what…Mai…" Mai's expression was unaltered, in a way she was impressed and insulted at once at how she could hardly get Mai to be scared of her….she knew she was deep down, but she rarely showed it…unlike Ty lee did, she could see her fear like a little bunny-dog before she engulfed it in flame while hunting.

"Whatever it was you were saying it wasn't…" Mai said,

"You said "_It's not_" Well…what's not?"

"Nothing…" Azula said, "You probably heard the storm, and heard things…" she said flatly, knowing Mai wouldn't buy it but making clear she would never tell either.

Mai sighed, "I'll let you know if Ty turns up…" she exited the room just like that without another word.

* * *

_Aang cradled Momo in his arms, "It's alright buddy…" he said, "I won't let the lightning get you…"_

_Suddenly Momo turned around in his arms looking right at him, "But I have to capture you!" Momo said,_

_"Wha?" Aang said in surprise._

_Suddenly Momo threw his head up and screamed at the ceiling of the cave, ear piercingly, like a girl._

Aang woke up with a start, his big eyes adjusting to the dark of the cave, seeing the last bit of light fade from the cracks in the barrier in the cave opening, the screaming was still going on though, he crawled over to the Fire Nation girl,

"Do you have to scream like that?" Aang said,

"Does the lightning have to keep going like that?" She said hugging her knee's to her chest.

Aang looked at her and sighed, she had a reason to be afraid but this was a phobia, far different than just being afraid. He sat across from her, "You know it's only until this part of the storm passes…" he said. "Eventually, it'll stop…"

"What if it never stops…" she said, rocking a little as the thunder rolled now.

Aang sighed, she sounded like a scared little student at his temple when storms came by, not in this magnitude of course, but they'd seen their share of large storms being high up themselves. The girl continued rocking…

Aang was sure he would regret this but…he put his arm around her, "It'll be okay…" he said comfortingly.

"What are you doing?..." the girl asked him, his arm was taken from around her and back at his sides in a blink. "Nothing just wanted you to feel alright…"

"We're trapped in a cave we may never be able to leave for fear of being fried, my friends are probably killing themselves looking for me, no I'm not alright!"

"Sor-ry!" Aang said a little annoyed and scooted away from her folding his own arms.

"…Thank you…" she said suddenly.

Aang turned his head, "For not letting me fall…" she finished, "Thank you…"

Aang kept looking at her, he smiled. "No problem…"

"And, well for…everything…" she said finally, looking at the opening of the cave, hearing the pitter patter of rain along with the rumble of thunder, the lighting wasn't as frequent now.

"Like what?" Aang said, seeing if he could get her to REALLY apologize…

"For like pulling me into the cave…you could've left me out there to die…mean I still have to capture you…" she said.

Aang sunk again, _"Great, that was still her intent..."_ he thought, _"Oh well…it was something getting on her good side._

"Well it's what we Avatar's normally do…" he said.

"Leave people to die?" the girl asked. Aang felt like he was hit like sledge hammer across the chest, it wasn't meant to sound mean, or even pointed, she'd actually been confused as to what was referring to, but it still hurt as if it had been.

"…No save people…." He said and scooted further into the darkness of the cave. She looked after him, "Oh." she said, apparently not understanding the gravity of what she said.

Who was he kidding? The Fire Nation wasn't going to change, and it was his fault too…if he hadn't been scared…the way she had been or still was right now, he could've stopped all of this, he could've done what a Avatar's do, what they're supposed to do, save people…his people…now he was saving the remains…himself the last remaining of his own people.

"So…when the storms done…I guess you're going to have to capture me again…?" Aang said finally.

The girl just made a shrugging sound.

"Why?" Aang asked, "…what have I ever done to you?"

The girl didn't answer, he looked over at her, she was asleep, finally exhausted from all that had ensued.

Aang sighed and shut his own eyes, putting a rock fort around him to keep from being magic poked by her in his sleep to make him limp. After making sure he had a window an inch high to see out at the cave opening from, he breathed slowly, shutting his eyes again.

When Aang awoke he heard the sound of earth being moved, he rubbed his eyes and looked out his little window, to see the girl attempting to claw her way through the earth barrier at the caves opening like a rabbit squirrel. He sighed and stretched. "Morning…" he said.

She turned around to look at him then kept digging, he yawned and let the mound collapse around him as brittle as dust, then stood, she still dug.

He raised a hand and made the whole block disappear by sinking back into the ground. The girl put her hands up, "YAY!" Aang looked cock eyed at her. She stood there for a bit breathing in, "Yay we aren't dead!" She chimed.

Aang couldn't help but chuckle, she sounded JUST like a little kid, …although she wasn't little…at all…in fact she was quite…mature…in the not little, physical…way. It was just something that couldn't help being noticed standing in front of the cave opening seeing her happy silhouette.

He shook his head and thought back to the task at hand, they could walk about now, meaning that she could again attempt to paralyze him and try taking him back to her fleet…which would end no doubt in them both being lost, judging by her…_demonstration_ on common sense so far.

Suddenly she was gone, the cave opening was bare. Was this a trap? He ventured closer, he began using the technique that Toph had showed him, using rocks as a suit almost, leaving only his eyes visible to see out with. While making the suit and stepping forwards, he could hear her laughter, it was cute…in fact some of the cutest he'd heard, so childlike and yet, from a voice that sounded like she was his age.

Suddenly dust fell from the caves opening above and he stopped in his venturing out, suddenly she leapt down from above on her hands, and stayed there, and began walking on them. Wow, she must really have been happy to be out. To her this must be like stretching her legs. He finished the suit, leaving only his eyes open.

Stepping out into the light, although it was still pretty cloudy, he could see her somersaulting over things and walking on her hands at various situations, over joyed. She suddenly almost bumped into him, and when she saw him in his "earth suit" she yelped a little, then giggled,

"What?" Aang asked,

"Your funny!" she said pointing and laughing.

"What?" he asked again, "In that rock pile, you look so funny!"

Aang smiled a little behind his rock mask, but stayed vigilant in case this was a ruse. She began flipping over him, and resumed flipping and doing aerial maneuvers that he had to confess astounded even him. He looked from the left to the right, it was still somewhat misty in this…canyon, mountain, whatever this rocky terrain was, all around him there were rocks, rocks, moss, and more rocks with moss on them, a tree. To the side he saw a pile of bones, bones of a creature about his size…that wasn't a good omen, they looked gnawed on, not abandoned.

Glancing up he could see a little of the sky amidst the rock spires they had crashed into the night before, the clouds hid a little hint of a glow he knew to be the sun. If he could climb or float up beyond those clouds, perhaps he could see where they were. Suddenly it donned on him again, the Fire nation could be there any minute, just like the bouncy girl had said. It was already morning, and the storm should have been gone by then, they'd of had plenty of time with their swiftness, and that Fire nation Princess' resolve to already be there, and hunting him. So why weren't they here now? Were they luring him into a trap? Or did they not know where they were, that was an encouraging thought, for once. Glancing to the right in the distance, Aang could see part of the smashed machine his air born rival had used to catch him for a short time. His glider was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly the girl landed on his shoulders. "HEY" Aang said looking up, raising his arms slowly to get her off, the suit was hard but awkward to move quickly. She began plucking rocks out of his suit.  
So she WAS trying to get to him still.

He quickly bent his legs and shot some of the rocks on his back and back off his head out wards, knocking her off his shoulders, she landed gracefully on her hands then on her feet spinning around in a cartwheel. Aang turned around in time to put him his hands crossed in front of his face to block a strike to his chest. The kick hit the rocks, and even though he could tell it hurt, it apparently didn't hurt as much as he'd thought it would. She spun out of the kick with a wide eyed look, "Ow….." she said waving her toe a little before setting it down.

"Listen!" Aang said, "You have bigger things to think about then capturing me!" he exclaimed,

"Nothing's more important than capturing the- " she started saying.

"Listen miss!" Aang said again not playing, "Staying alive is more important, like last night!"

The girl stayed in a defensive stance ready to strike if Aang made any moves to get away or fire another rock. "But…" she said.

"LOOK AROUND YOU!" Aang said, echoing in the canyon. She did so nervously, only with her eyes, not wanting to turn her head.

He let his face guard of rock fall to show he had no reason to fight her any longer, and so he could talk better.

"We're stuck on a mountain…." He went on "…Who knows how high from the air pressure….but my guess is Ling Shiquo…"

The girl looked at him, blankly. Aang groaned, "That means pretty darn high." He said.

"OH!" She said.

"Not only that…" Aang continued, "We're still surrounded by cloud!" She looked from left to right noticing the same, "So?" she said.

"SO it means we're hidden from view!" Aang said, "Meaning your search party, even if they haven't thought we were both dead, won't look for us here cause to find us they'd have to endanger their "Fly'ey things" he said quoting her, "…by possibly flying into THOSE!" he pointed to the spires above.

The girl glanced up, "They'll find us with tanks!" she said, "Oops…" she added realizing she just gave something away. Aang rolled his eyes,

"Even if they did, this terrain is too steep, these kinds of spires only exist on steep, large mountains…"

This of course wasn't always the case, but he guessed that his girl wouldn't know that, so he played it to his advantage. He had to diminish her chances of ensnaring him. He couldn't afford her slowing him down or following him only to turn him in, he had to at least try to be in a position to find an alternate way off this mountain, away from where her cohorts could be waiting for them. As much as it was the smartest thing to do, he couldn't abandon her up here, especially with whatever it was that had gnawed those bones on that mountain somewhere. He'd escort her off the mountain and then…he would be able to use the simple enough task of finding a way himself back to his friends.

By the look on her face he could see the conflict, she was out of her fighting stance…almost, "Look who knows if that was the last storm?" Aang said wanting to keep her on the edge of her paranoia. This got her attention, her head snapped up.

"Exactly…" Aang went on, "That sort of storm doesn't just strike once, it's strikes several times in the same area before moving on, we're IN a death trap."

Ty Lee's voice quivered "How do I know you're telling the truth…?" she said.

Aang had to think about that, he wasn't exactly LYING, but he was building suspicion off of…unsure truths.

"I don't want to be on this rock anymore then you do…" he replied.

The girl looked around again. "I'm going to need your help…" he said finally.

She nearly shifted in her fighting stance, "ME?" She said surprised. Aang was surprised he said that too, "And you'll need mine…." He added.

"Why…" she said, "I can handle myself if you can…." Still a little stunned by Aang's first statement.

"Watching each other's back…" Aang said, glancing at the remains of whatever creature it was that was now dead, and eaten. She wasn't following his gaze, so he jerked his head in its direction, he was still in the suit made of rocks so moving his shoulders or waist was a no.

She saw it and jumped a bit, "EW!" she said. "Well whatever that was…it wasn't left to die up here…" Aang said.

"It was EATEN?" the girl the gulped. Aang nodded, thankful she got it. "I saved your life already…" he said, "Why would I lie to you?" The girl looked at him right in the face,

"Because you could use me to your advantage then leave me…" she said. Aang was taken aback.

"Well I wouldn't, regardless…" he said, "The point is…we're going to need to help each other even if it's in just figuring out where we are….and you have my WORD, I'm not going to abandon you…"

He ventured further, "And how could I use you to my advantage alone?"

"I…" she started, "I don't know…" she admitted. He let all his rocks fall to the ground and the rolled at his feet, "I'm the Avatar…" Aang continued, "It's what we do…we help people….even when they're our enemies…"

She was now standing normally but her hands were still fists, he waited for her reaction. Suddenly quicker than lightning she jabbed his arm making him sting all over with those magic pistol poke fingers.

"AGGGHHHHHH!" Aang cried. Putting the un-numb side of his body up ready for another attack.

But none came.

She put her hair back into a better pony tail which was considerably long, and turned around, "That was for blowing clouds in my face…"

Aang looked at her confused, "AND for crashing my….glidey thing…" she said walking off down the path looking part of the canyon.

Aang shot her a glance, "I'm Ty Lee…." She said. Aang watched her continue to walk and stood, awkwardly lopsided from the strike. "Aang…" he said following her, "Can you…well, un-dead my arm?" He asked.

"It'll wear off…" she said not turning around.


	5. Chapter 5

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Daggers and Rabbit Squirrel's_

Ty Lee trudged on down the path after Aang, so far he'd led them down several steep slopes, and over some pretty rough walls, she really had no idea what he was trying to accomplish by going down then up.

"Do you really know what you're doing?" She asked.

Aang continued on his way, "I know mountains…" Aang said, "Just not this one, so I'm doing what I can from what I know okay?"

Ty kept her mouth shut and continued. Aang suddenly saw something that caught his eye, "Ah-HA!" Aang said, and darted towards something. Ty jumped ready for anything, "What what is it?" she asked looking around.

"Look!" Aang said producing a long shaft of a tree branch, the grin on his face was too big for words.

She just stared at him, "…a …_stick_?" she asked.

"Not just a stick!" Aang said grinning still, "Look!" he twirled the stick a few times, she was impressed a boy his size could move such a large branch with such ease through his fingers, then held it behind his back like he was carrying it, with two branches of the shaft pointing out at arm's length. She still didn't get it, and he saw it.

"A glider!" he said, "I may not be able to find my own or fix your fly-ey thing…but I can use pieces from it to make a new one with this!" Aang said, "Oh…" Ty said.

"This woods perfect…" Aang said looking at the wood grinning again. "How will that help…_us?"_ she asked folding her arms, as simple as she may be she knew that glider meant 1 person.

He looked at her, "Well for one thing…" he started, "I can fly up easier then climbing and see where we are better for when we hike…"

She looked at him, "how stupid do you think I am?" she said arms still folded, "What?" Aang said looking at her now distracted from his awesome stick.

"I know you'll just fly off and leave me here for that thing to get me or not…" she said glaring. Aang put up his hands dropping the stick,

"No No I wouldn't do that!" Aang said, _"Look!"_ he suddenly came towards her picking up the stick and she bounded back in a cartwheel ready for anything but the look in his eyes wasn't hostile. "It's okay…" He coaxed.

He came up behind her as her eyes followed him, and measured her against it, "It is perfect!" he said.

"What are you talking about?" She asked ready to turn around with as swift kick in his Avatar man-ness...if need be. "I'm talking about a second rider…" Aang said.

"Second?" she said turning her head around fully to look at him. He nodded and began holding up the cross shaped branch to the light above,

"Yep…" he said.

She had to admit it was too big for the small thing he'd flown in on last time, the length was longer, thicker, it would be awkward flying by one's self with that. Even though he had lifted it with reasonable ease.

He then put the branch down and walked around to face her front, her eyes still hadn't left him suspiciously.

"I said we'd get through this together…" he said seriously, "When I make a promise I keep it…" she wanted to believe him, he had…it was odd, an old fashioned sense of honor about him. Only that cute talking uncle of Zuko's was like that to her memory, and though this boy was defiantly younger, and…a different kind of cute…that integrity was there…even if she couldn't grasp integrity at the time, she knew what it meant when your gut said to trust someone, then being with Azula all that time is a good reason for being paranoid trust-wise.

"We have to double back…" Aang said laying one of the branches on a rock. She looked at him "Double back?" She said.

"It's to get the rest of the wreckage…" Aang said, she nodded a little, "But we just got here…" She said.

Aang stood, "It's either that or we keep hiking until we happen upon a way out." He said.

Ty sighed, "Fine…"

He grinned, she had to admit his grin was cute, and made her want to smile, but she turned her head so he wouldn't see and returned with a face of non interest and coldness. What she succeeded with was trying to look like Azula when she looked indifferent, and she failed miserably at it.

Aang just looked at her oddly trying to grasp what her expression was, then picked the stick onto his back and began to walk the way they'd come.

Now of course it was true that Aang could have very easily made an air bubble to get up and over the clouds around them, leave her like she had said, but he couldn't do that. Maybe the spirits had put her here as a test for her, maybe he could convince her not to be so rotten…either way he was semi thankful to be away from the group for at least a little little, let what had happened at camp heal a bit...

* * *

Katara somewhere else was stirring water with her bending for soup, both Toph and her had agreed that this was indeed to long and they should start looking for Aang. Sokka was out looking for a bunny-cat to eat for a stew, Toph was doing push-ups, or earth downs to be more literal, she made indentations where he hands where each time she pushed down, and every time she came back up the ground would go back to normal, Katara sighed.

Katara looked at her reflection in the water as she stirred, she imagined Aang coming up behind her in the reflection, smiling like he always did.

But he was gone…somewhere out there…or hurt….she wouldn't think worse, that would be too much for her brain.

But…the reason he left…could still be looking back at her right now…

_Nearly a week earlier_,

"Katara I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

_Katara was still looking at the ground, arms folded, just taking it in. He'd kissed her…Aang had actually….but she didn't…..she hadn't expected this…at all. She'd always liked Aang…maybe even loved him, but both loving and liking weren't the kind he had for her…not like this._

_"Katara, please say something!"Aang pleaded behind her, she was blushing she knew, another reason she wasn't ready to turn around yet, this was all so…_

_She turned around finally,"Aang…"she started._

_"Katara…"he interrupted, "I hope you can forgive me…"_

_"Aang…"she said cutting him off._

_"..but this has been building up in me for so long!"Aang said not hearing her,_

_"Aang!"she said firmly, not meaning to be stern._

_He looked up at her flinching,_

_"…I'm not…mad…"she said knowing out of all the things that didn't make sense, that did, she wasn't mad, not at him anyway..._

_"You aren't?"Aang said confused. She shook her head…he smiled one of those big grins he had that had always made her day to see, though she hadn't told him that, which made her more sad because…her answer…couldn't keep it there._

_And…the smile did fade eventually with the silence…._

_"Then…."He said grasping,"What….do you feel?"he said in a manner that was almost choked, just from the fear of…the answer..._

_Katara sighed,"Aang…"she said again,"I-…"she put her hands on his arms,"I care about you Aang…"she said, not knowing if that was good to start off that way._

_Aangs smile returned a little, but not fully, he could see the "catch" in her eyes was coming._

_"But…."Aang said, Katara looked down, was she about to cry? She felt her eyes moisten, was she making a mistake, did she love Aang? That way? No, no of course not, then why was this hurting her to do so much? But what would be worse…? Leading him on? Attempting to like him in the same fashion and then failing, and him finding out that way were her heart lied._

_"But what Katara?..."Aang persisted, his voice now noticeably sad and choked, it pained her to do, but finding silence the most tactful means of telling him thus far, she kept her head down not wanting to see his face._

_She felt his shoulders come out of her hands,"Katara…."He said almost pleading."I'm sorry Aang…"she said._

_"I'm so sorry…but-"_

Present day,

Aang trudged along the way they came, shaking his head, "I'm so sorry…" he said to himself without meaning too.

"What?" he heard the girl Ty Lee say behind him, Aang shook his head to snap back to the moment,

"Nothing…"

The girl kept on behind him, "Are you sure this is the way we came?" she asked.

Aang looked along the cliffs' walls above them, they were the same as before, but there was the added problem of them all looking, very much the same if you didn't pay attention to certain details about them, that you had to LOOK for, had he done things differently, he would have marked their trail somehow, if he knew they would have to double back of course.

Aang looked up at the wall spires, "Ty Lee?" he said, she looked up at him, "Could you hold this?" he asked, giving her the tree branch. She took it easily, he'd guessed from her demonstrated strength last time it wouldn't be heavy for her, but she did take it annoyed in her manner.

He plowed his hand into the rock wall, or tried, it didn't go in that deep. "What are you doing?" Ty Lee asked.

Aang rubbed his hand,

"Hang on…" he said glaring at the wall, remembering what Toph had taught him, he rubbed his hands together, then making them like spears, plowed them both into the wall, they went in deep now, he smiled back at her, then at the wall. She still had no idea what he was doing.

He then made a smiley face in the wall, "What are you doing?" Ty Lee said frustratedly, "Your making us stop to- OOOOHH A SMILEY FACE!"

Aang smiled and nodded, "I'm marking our path, our people did it so we wouldn't get lost in places we designed as mazes…" he said.

"Your people?" Ty Lee said, tracing her finger along the shape of the circle and two eyes. "The air benders…" Aang said moving to another part of the wall further down, this is where it forked, he remembered that.

"If you had mazes in the first place why would you be in them?" Ty asked, Aang thought for a second to grasp what exactly she was asking then answered best he could. "It was for testing our memory..." Aang said, "As we went the symbols differed by less and less.."Certain symbols meant certain things…" he said making another symbol in the wall on the other side.

"OH…" Ty Lee said. "So happy face means…?" Aang buried his hand into the rock, "It's good to go this way…" he said.

He made more shapes in the rock, she watched him, it was a frowny face. She didn't have to ask what that face meant.

Aang continued down the path, and had to admit it did seem to be getting more familiar.

"So did you use that for weapons training?" Ty Lee asked.

"Beg Pardon?" Aang said as he walked.

"For like your army...weapons training..." Ty Lee said, "Like we have mazes and simulated battle ground where you fire bend and stab these dummies...-"

"We never had any kind of military..." Aang said very seriously, and rather confused.

"Yes you did!" Ty Lee said putting her hands on her hips, "Who else did we fight in the battle of Sozens' Seige?"

Aang just looked at her oddly, "You don't actually believe..." he said.

"What?" she asked wide eyed.

Good lord she didn't know! What were they teaching kids in the Fire Nation? Obviously filthy lies...

"I was there...Ty Lee..." He said firmly. He could see she heard the sincerity in his voice, "There WAS no siege...it was an ambush..." Ty Lee shook her head.

"But the books of- "

"They LIED, Ty Lee..." Aang said trying not to sound cross at her. "There was no siege...there was an Ambush...there was no battle...there was..." He had a flash back suddenly of the event, of the barrenness of the temple, of him stepping on the remains...

"There was nothing left..." He said, "When your Nation was done..." he was frowning now, she frowned too defensively.

"None of us had a chance..." he said. "Except for me because..."

Ty Lee gripped her fists, "Because why?"

"Nevermind..." Aang said.

Ty Lee piped up, "Well if you say so...but our books have been passed down from hundreds of years and they all say the same-"

Aang spun around with a frown on his face, "Well I've passed down from a 100 years too...are any of those authors still alive?"

Ty Lee could've punched him square in the face before he could finish the word one "hundred", but she didn't. He was telling the truth, she could just tell, it wasn't like when Azula lied and you had to look for how she was lying to you...knowing that she was lying took a life of knowing her to see, and Aang wasn't only speaking the truth, he also wasn't mad, he was...hurt.

"Did you KNOW her?" Aang said continuing. Ty Lee raised her brow, "Huh?"

Aang shook his head, "Did you know any of them?" Aang said instead. She shook her head "Duh, No."

"Then you just have the accounts of some well-paid chronicler...vs. someone who was there..."

Aang turned around and started walking again. Ty Lee wanted to argue more, but she couldn't really do it, not cause she didn't want to talk, but because it was making sense to her. She hadn't paid attention to ALL the battles in her history lessons at the academy, but she remembered that one; the Siege of the Air Temple _"Fortress."_ Her and Azula had been to an Air temple to see if Aang and his friends would rest there, but they didn't, so they moved on.

When she was there she saw NOTHING that spoke of any battle, or battle readyings, no hints of it EVER being any kind of fortress. And if all the temples were built the same as the stories told, then how could it have been THAT much of a siege? She hadn't really thought about it till now. And he WAS alive at that time...and she could tell he wasn't fibbing...

She changed her mind and the subject as quickly as she could.

"Did you play any games?" She asked.

"What?" Aang asked with a hint of annoyance with his surprise.

"Games, do you play any games..." she said flipping over him and landing front of him with a look that completely disarmed Aang from its happiness.

"Yeah..." he said, smile returning a bit, "We loved games back at the temple...if that's in your books then it may have some truth in them after all."

"What kind of games?" Ty Lee asked. Aang leaned on his stick,

"Well let's see..." he mused, "We had sky ball, like kickball just in the sky."

"_OOOH_ that sounds fun!" She said brightly.

"We played cloud hide and seek..." he numbered off, "Oh and Tag...basically normal tag just with wind bending..."

"Oh..." Ty Lee said walking around him.

"Yeah we had bases..." Aang went on, "Just like real ta- What are you doing?..."

He felt a tap on his arm, and he jumped back instinctually although he now realized his arm was neither in pain nor numb.

"The base is where the glidey thing is you're it!" she said in one sentence very quickly.

Aang just stood there shocked for a second then grinned, bending the air under him to make him rise up over the rocks she was bouncing from like a goat hound.

For not air-bending, she was VERY good...very nimble, she could've been an A student in Master Gyatso's flight class, were she an air nomad of course. He kept up with her fairly, but he could also tell in hopping and free running after her, that it was not going to be an easy thing to tag her back, let alone catch her.

Finally she came to the end of the boulders, and began running along the path, this was where it forked again. He called out,

"Wait! Time out, this is the area I wasn't sure about...I don't want us getting lost." He said.

"But this way's going in the same direction..." She said, "It just seemed shorter..."

Aang nodded but said, "I know but...until we can scout out the area for sure-"

Aang saw motion to his right, and followed it, "What now?" Ty Lee said, "I think I saw something…" Aang said putting the stick down. Ty Lee nodded and got ready, hands up.

Aang and her snuck around the corner he'd seen the motion at, backs along the side of the canyon wall. Aang had to do his best not to rustle the gravely ground, while Ty could silently walk with nearly no effort at all, the only one he'd known to be that silent was Suki…

Oh he missed Suki…he'd of preferred it was her he was trying to escape with, or any of his friends…even…if…oh nevermind.

Suddenly Aang saw the motion again, it was a Rabbit-Squirrel, it looked up at them brushing it's nose, then went on its way.

"OOH!" Ty Lee squealed, "How cute!" Aang grinned, and all of sudden felt a pain in his left foot as he stepped down.

"OW!" he said sinking to his seat, Ty Lee put a hand on his mouth to stifle his scream, "SHHH" she said, "Now look!" she said crossly, "You scared away the bunny Squirrel!"

Aang looked up at her narrowing his eyes, then he saw what it was that had stung him, it was lizar-pede, it crawled away as centipede would but with scaly skin and lizards head.

Ty apparently didn't see it, she uncovered Aang's mouth, "Now he's gone…" she said. Aang glared a little at her holding his foot.

Thankfully he knew Lizar-pedes weren't poisonous, but their stingers could make your limb go numb for a long time.

Suddenly Ty saw something else, it was the rabbit-squirrel again. She looked at Aang, "Whats wrong? She asked, "I got stung…" he grumbled. "By what?", she said in a hushed tone as not to scare away the creature.

"Lizard-pede.." Aang said, "And why are you-" she shushed him again, "Whispering?..." he finished as hushed as her.

"The Rabbit-squirrely is back." She said giggling. Aang looked at it through the pain, "Cute…" he honestly admitted.

"I'm going to go pet it…" she said.

"No wait!" Aang said. "We have to stick together." Ty looked at him, "I'm only going to pet it, why can't you get up and pet it too…?"

Aang showed her his foot as if to say "DUH!"

She said, "Ugh, Fine…" then standing up, she saw the bunny coming closer, and she smiled even bigger, "That's right…" she said putting her hands out, "I'm not going to hurt you…" Aang watched her crouching down to get the rabbit-squirrel, it was too cute to see, how could she be a Fire Nation agent? It didn't add up…despite her jabbing his arm earlier and crashing a glider into him out of the sky, she seemed…nice, innocent. So where was this…resentment coming from, how was she NOT knowing what she was doing was wrong?

Suddenly she saw the rabbit take off, "Oh no no no!" she said sadly, and got up chasing it. "Hey wait!" Aang said trying to get up, "Don't, you'll get lost too!"

But Ty was already gone. By now she had chased the Rabbit squirrel to what appeared to be a dead end, she got on her knees again, "Here…little fluffy thing…" she said, "I'm not going to hurt you…promise…" It looked at her wearily; she inched closer, crawling on her hands and knees.

It backed up a little, so she crawled a little more, suddenly it went into a large opening in the rocks, big enough for her shoulders to fit into, but she could still see its beady eyes looking at her.

Not thinking about what she was doing, Ty Lee crawled up to the opening and stuck her head in, "Is this your home?" she asked, the eyes blinked.

She put her hand inside, "This is actually pretty nice…"she said continuing to crawl in the rest of the way, now both arms and shoulders, and waist were inside, there was enough light from outside to shine in the opening she wasn't eclipsing with her body. She could see the feet of the Rabbit squirrel, some dried stems of some plants he'd no doubt eaten the barriers off of. And… what was this…

She put her hand on something, it was metal, not rock. She brushed dirt off it, it was a knife…and not old and rusty either, it was sleek, like it had just been polished. She'd known that from being with Mai for so long.

"Do you know whose this is?" she asked the Rabbit-Squirrel.

It just looked at her then rubbed its eyes, she looked at it again and wanted a better look at it in the light, she pulled at it , but it was lodged in the rock or under something. She pulled a the rock it was under to try to get it free, it wouldn't move, the Rabbit Squirrel backed up, but she didn't notice it, she pulled again and this time it gave way…all the way, suddenly more rocks above her began to fall and quickly fell onto her back trapping her neatly, half inside, half outside the hole.

She squirmed and pulled trying to get loose, but the rocks were relentless in keeping her pinned inside the hole, the Rabbit Squirrel had retreated further into its home at the sound of the rock fall. "Help?"she asked in case the squirrel could hear her, then thought this was actually ridiculous and called outside the hole.

"Hello?" she asked, "Avatar?" no reply, what was his name, "Aat?" she called, that wasn't it, "Am?" Ong?" Nothing, she looked over her shoulder seeing a gleam of light of light shining over it and hitting her hand that she was supporting herself up with. There was a gleam of light shining on her hand and as she turned around to look over her shoulder, she could see a crack in the wall that now pinned her half outside, no bigger than her hand but enough to see what went on outside behind her with her peripheral vision.

She tried jostling herself free, but it just made the view hole smaller so she stopped, "HELLO!" She called, no answer, "AANG!" she called? "Mr. Avatar?" She was on her knees outside the hole, and could see the reddish pink of her hind quarters slightly through the hole, bouncing about trying to get herself free. Inside she was supporting herself up with her elbow and hand, she suddenly got an idea, she would use the knife to pick her way out. She began using the knife as best as she could contort her body from the waist, to scrape around her middle to try to make the opening bigger…but to no avail.

Suddenly she heard something, "Aang?" she said looking out the view hole crack again. She heard foot step's, it was about time he came, she had to tell him how she'd found the shiny new knife by herself. Wait there was more than one pair of footsteps, was it help? Was it Azula or Mai? …or the owners of the knife…

Suddenly she saw coming around the corner in the distance where she'd come, was not a man, or a woman, but a small…four legged creature… she couldn't quite tell what it was, but it resembled a lamb…mixed with a …piglet? It was odd looking and definitely native to the Earth Kingdom, she'd remembered no such creature where she came from. It Baaa'd like a lamb would, then trotted over to her, she wondered what it had planned.

"Hey…" she said from inside the hole, "Any chance you could help me get out of this?- " She said but was immediately cut off by the creature chewing on her tunic sash, "HEY!" she said, and without meaning to, kicked with her feet and by accident hit the creature in the chest, it rolled on its back legs kicking in the air.

"OH sorry!" Ty Lee said. The creature still had the torn piece of her tunic in its mouth and caught on its little horn. It made a _"Baaah"_ sound and got up running away back down the canyon way. Well the back sash of her tunic was gone, and running way, great… Suddenly there was a call ringing through the canyon, like a bleat mixed with a snort.

She quickly looked again behind her through the crack to see at the end of the canyon way, the little creature looking up at a bigger…meaner looking creature, around the size of Aang, also on four legs, only it had hooves, and tusks…and horns that curled up. It was the mommy.

Ty lee's eyes got huge, "Uh oh…" she saw the creature yelping at its mom sorrowfully, then it looked back at her with anger. She grinned sheepishly even though it couldn't see her, and attempted more than ever to try to pry her way out of the hole. Suddenly she heard a snort, much much louder and froze. She turned around slowly to look out the opening once more and saw it pawing the ground with its black hoof in the distance, lowering its head.

_**"AAHH!"**_ She screamed and tried even more to free herself, pushing up on her knees and clawing at the rock that was under her stomach, but as she dug, more dirt and rocks fell in to take its place, and squirming to get out just made a more…noticeable round "_Target"_ for the creature. And it began to charge, galloping at her.

She squealed again and clenched her fists as tightly as her eyes, ready for the inevitable pain she was about to receive from being rammed..hard.

Suddenly there was a gust of air blowing through the canyon and a sound of rocks crumbling behind her, and then a loud _THUD_, then nothing. She turned her head around opening her eyes to see…nothing, just a rock wall now blocking her view from anything else outside. "Hello?" she asked after a while, suddenly the rock wall sunk into the earth behind her and she could see the brightly colored tunic of Aang, he'd come. He'd also apparently put up a rock wall in front of her, or behind her actually, for the creature to run into as it tried to ram her, for it was now unconscious on its back at his feet moaning.

It's young was at its side, bleating sorrowfully at its konked out mother. Aang was now kneeling and stroking its fleece, "Now now…" he said sweetly to it.

"AHEM!" she said from inside the hole at him, did he even NOTICE her there? Why was he being sympathetic to that sheep, pig thing, its mother had almost killed her!

"Shh!" Aang said shushing her, almost in the same way she shushed him about the Rabbit-squirrel, "She was only trying to protect her calf-let…" he said. "From what?" she exclaimed, "I'm trapped in here if you didn't notice." She said crossly.

Aang looked up from the fallen creature, "Your welcome…" was his only response.

"UGH!" She said in exasperation…

"Your um…." Aang went on,

"tunic-…bottoms-…pants…your _clothes_ are bright reddish purple…"

Aang said finally fumbling for the right word to use, "They're attracted by intensely colored things and will charge it as danger…" he explained.

Ty Lee put her hand under her chin, propping up on her elbow. "Well if you're done enjoying the _view_ maybe you could get me OUT OF HERE?" she said.

Aang blushed, and she could see him blush at what he'd said…this made her blush too, at realizing what she just said and how it sounded.

Now she wanted even more to be out of this…compromising position where her hind was there for all to see… but no sooner had this buzzed through her mind did she feel the rocks begin to move around her and suddenly lift, and lower out of the way, leaving her free to crawl out.

Aang let the stones fall again with his bending over the hole and there was once again only a gap in the wall, much too small to crawl through again, but she had NO intention of chasing any rabbit-squirrels, or ANY kind of creature now.

She dusted off her pants, and her top, from the dust, then remembered the torn back-sash, she turned around looking over her shoulder like a dog chasing its tail trying to see, "It chewed on it…!" she whined, "Now it's ruined!"

_"It's fine…"_Aang said trying to be helpful, "What is?" she asked looking at him.

"Your uh…." Aang said not knowing the name for it so he pointed to where the sash was missing from, than blushed again realizing where he was pointing too, "I didn't…notice…s-so it's probably fine….right?"

Ty Lee blushed a little herself, again, turning around to face him, then it turned into anger…

"Stupid….sheep…pig thing!" she said grumbling going up to kick dust at the fallen creature. Aang held her back with his stick, "Easy!" he said,

"What?" she said mad, "You're still taking _it _side? I could have died!"

Aang looked at her, "From a Mountain Sheep-hog?" he said,

"Whatever you call it!" She said angry. The little baby Sheep-hog looked up at her angrily trying to wave its little nubbed horns at her like its mother.

"Don't even…" she said back at it, snatching the pink sash off of its horn, making it cower behind its mother on her back.

"Well it wouldn't have killed you…" Aang said thoughtfully, "But you wouldn't be able to sit down for a week probably…" She looked at him wondering if that were actually supposed to make her change her mind over it.

Suddenly she remembered, "The Rabbit-Squirrel's knife!" she said excitedly, "The what?" Aang said looking at her, she began digging at where Aang had just freed her from.

"Careful" he cautioned, "You want her to wake up?"

He caught a rock she threw over her shoulder almost hitting the Mountain-sheep hog. But she had already risen again holding her prize, and brandished it proudly. "HA!" she said triumphantly.

Aang looked at it wide eyed, and propped his weight on the canyon wall next to him to limp towards her, she looked at his foot, which was a little bigger than his other one, she remembered the bite.

"Oh…" she said. He looked up from his foot to er, "That's why it took so long to get to you…" he explained, "Sorry…"

She smiled a little, "It's okay…" she said, "And thanks…" she finished, Aang nodded smiling too, then focused on what was in her hand, getting serious.

She snapped back to the issue at hand too, "Where'd you find it?" Aang asked putting a hand on it,

"The Rabbit-Squirrel lead me to it…" She said frankly, Aang looked at her and back at it not wanting to know,

"It's still sharp…" he said feeling it's edge. "Mhmm" She agreed. "Who's do you think it is?" she asked.

"Well it's make is Earth Kingdom for sure…" Aang mused, "But…?" Ty Lee said waiting for his objection.

"But it looks like a much older knife…." Aang said, "Older?" Ty Lee said not understanding.

"Older as in…a little bit after my time…" Aang confirmed. "Oh…" Ty Lee said, "THAT old?"

Aang nodded, "Now why would a knife that old?"

Ty mused now, "Or be in good condition…now?"

Aang held it now, "I don't know…"


	6. Chapter 6

**Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations**

_Carry me, I'll carry you_

Azula looked over the charts, she guessed the Avatar if he had actually evaded the storm, would continue onto the Wung Sho pass.

She didn't think it was possible for someone to survive a storm of that magnitude, but then again, he was the Avatar…survived over thousands of years. She wasn't leaving ANYTHING to chance. She wouldn't stop until she saw him limbless, or in flames before her…the Avatar was the ultimate challenge, and she would conquer it…mercilessly…

"What's the next move your highness?" one of her councils asked, "We head east, around the storm…" she said.

"The long way to the Wung Sho valley?" asked the council.

"No…." she said, "The pass…." The men murmured, "That's heavy in…extremism for the Earth kingdom territory…." One of them spoke up.

Mai flipped a knife between her fingers as they spoke in her own corner of the room. Azula smirked at the charts.

"That's exactly why the Avatar will head for there…." Azula said. "The less friendly to us…the more likely he'll be to take refuge there…"

"So you believe that he'll survive the storm?" one of the majors said. Azula tapped her long nailed fingers on the map.

"Of course he will….without a scratch? I doubt it…" The room buzzed with approval and mummers.

Mai just glared from her corner, although no one saw it.

"So I'm to assume…." One of the men said, "…till further notice we should suspend the order to declare Miss Ty Lee Deceased- "

He was interrupted from a door shutting firmly, Mai's place in the corner was now empty. Azula looked over at where her friend once was and returned her gaze to the men.

"Search parties diminish our resources and chances of capturing the Avatar in the act of finding help…" she said finally returning her gaze to the men.

"My hopes are with Ty Lee as well…I'm trusting the spirits she's been able to take care of herself, away from the Storm as well…"

She had a hint of concern in her voice, which was a very…useful ruse when trying to win over those she was talking too…it always worked trying to fool her brother or mother when she was small. This pack of war hardened men was no different.

"If we move quickly…" she moved on, "We can make sure that if the worst has happened, it wouldn't have been in vain….we WILL bring back that Avatar, and we WILL conquer Ba Sing Se, the Fire Nation WILL emerge victorious from this…" she said stirringly. The men smiled and nodded in patriotic agreement. She smiled to herself, but to them, it looked like a smile of doing her duty.

* * *

Ty Lee hiked along after Aang, "Thank you again…" she said. Aang smiled to himself, "No problem…" he said.

"Is your foot okay?..." she asked scrounging for something to say, Aang looked back at her,

"It's fine…" he said.

She bit her lip and flipped over him suddenly, now standing on higher ground in front of him, she looked down at him.

"Give me your staff, I'll pull you up…" he looked up at her and grinned, "Oh it's okay…" he said. "I ca-"

He suddenly stopped. She was actually helping him, offering to help him…he was going to earth bend the ground he was standing on to get up that high, but smiled at her offer.

"Thanks…" he said extending his staff.

Meanwhile below, many miles away, Katara was water-bending water into their pouches. It was a long way to the Wung-Sho pass, or Valley for that matter. Sokka was shining and sharpening his tools he'd upgraded, complete with a grappling hook rope.

Toph however was nowhere to be seen, Katara was too distracted to be mad at her for being absent.

Aang…Aang was somewhere out there, hopefully lost if anything….because of her personal feelings, because she'd said the wrong words to him. She could've been more tactful right? Yes she loved Aang…she admitted she did but…not in that way…it wasn't brotherly but it wasn't…romantic either…

What did that mean? She sure didn't know, maybe it was her just not knowing what she wanted…maybe she was scared of falling in love…at all…the first time she thought she'd fallen for someone…it was…

She interrupted by her brilliantly timed brother, "Sis!" he said coming up, she rolled her eyes and held up the satchels with her water bending, "They'll be ready when they're ready!" she said frustrated.

Sokka shook his head, "No no…it's Toph.." he said sounding suspicious. Katara sat up from her kneeling position by the lake.

"What do you mean?..." she asked concerned. "She wasn't here when we woke this morning…" he said strumming his chin.

"So?" Katara said, "I knew that…"

Sokka put his hands up, "She borrowed your comb…" he said.

"So…-" Katara was about to say something cynical _again_ until it donned on her as Sokka continued, "She never uses a comb…." They both said.

* * *

Aang and Ty Lee finally came to a spot they both recognized as they trudged along. It was an uphill walk but not too bad, not as steep as other areas they'd past.

Aang couldn't help but wonder what that knife was doing in some rabbit-squirrel hole, he knew they were sort of like pack rats in a way, so it was logical it had stored it after finding it. The question or issue was, if it was indigenous to that area or mountain, what person would climb high enough to drop their knife here for it to be packed away by a rabbit-squirrel?

Ty Lee spoke up, "How's your foot…" she asked, he looked at her, "You just asked me that…" he said. She realized this and nodded, "Right…well how is it?" she asked again.

Aang looked ahead, then at the sky to see if the sun would shine any brighter from behind the clouds. "It's fine…" he said,

"I mean is it less swollen?" she asked again. Was she really that concerned about him?

"Uh…" Aang said, "I think so yeah….why?" Ty Lee giggled, "Cause if you take us any slower, I'm carrying you…" she said.

Aang's eyes grew, "What?" he said, she was half his size, well not as small as Toph, but her eyes stopped where his started, he could actually look down at her, something he had hoped to do with Katara once, Sokka had commented girls don't like guys who can't look either down at them, or eye to eye. In any case she was smaller than him…generally speaking.

"I'm perfectly fine…" he huffed, "But thank you…I guess…" he added. Ty giggled again. He had to admit that giggle was one of the cutest things he'd ever heard. This place was very dismal, as was their circumstances, hearing such light hearted joy was comforting.

"You don't think I could?" she asked hands behind her back. Aang looked at her again now, eyeing her confused. "What do you mean….?" He asked.

"Betchu I could…" she said slyly. "Could wha-…" Aang started then his eyes grew, "No!" but it was too late.

She had already hoisted him up in his arms as if he were the baby calf-let they'd left behind them earlier, and began hiking up the trail. Aang was in shock, she was actually doing it…he'd only known Toph to be that strong physically….what was it with him meeting little girls that were stronger than him?

He looked at her and saw the smile on her face had turned into an absolutely ridiculous one at trying not to laugh, he couldn't help but laugh either. They both fell down, then laughed harder.

Ty supported herself up, sitting up on her elbows, Aang in turn supported himself up with his hands, still laughing.

"What was that for?..." He said laughing still. Ty cracked up, "The look on your face…" she said giggling. He gave her a cock eyed look, "Is my face really that funny to you?" he said pretending to be offended.

She smirked at him, "No…" she said slyly, "Funny-ER."

"Hey!" Aang said grinning broadly without being able to help himself.

She laughed again then noticed how…quite literally, she was on the ground, and he was on top of her. He noticed around the time that she did and hurriedly made efforts to stand again. Ty also got up, but not as hurriedly, he stood up with the help of his staff and extended a hand for her to get up. "I can manage…" she said, and flipped up without using her hands. Aang was again impressed, "Show off…" he said smirking.

Ty put her hands on her hips leaning to one side pretending as if to say "Whatever…" then continued walking.

His eyes followed her, "Wow…" the thought, how could someone…so delightful….child like…be part of such a violent and…ruthless race? It didn't make sense. Suddenly he had an idea.

"If you want a ride…." Aang said slowly, she turned around to look at him, "I can do more than carry you…"

She looked back at him, "With your FINE foot?" she said with sarcasm…suddenly without warning the earth beneath her lifted her up, in a seat like patch of earth, next to one he'd made just like hers. She looked wide eyed at him.

"Hang on!" Aang said, she did so, "What are you doooo-iiiiiing….." she said suddenly turning into a squeal of joy for they were now zooming down the less narrow part of the canyon, she waved her hands and her hair blew back as they zoomed. He grinned at her; that was the biggest smile he'd ever seen, he needed this, with such a glum surrounding, he needed some…levity if he was to get through this.

"Hey you passed it!" Ty said pointing behind them. Aang stopped them both, and made the mounds sink back into the earth, his more slowly than hers so he would land on his good foot.

He looked a bit to their right seeing they had indeed passed the wing of the "Glidey-thing.." sticking out of the patch of rocks.

Ty was dusting the dirt off her backside again, this made Aang remember to do the same. "Thanks..." he said.

"That was fun though…" she said happily. Aang smiled and looked at her, "Who has the funny face now?" he said.

"Hey!" Ty Lee said a little upset, Aang had only meant that in jest, "I didn't mean anything by it…" he protested. "I just thought your face looked…you know…really happy and pretty." Her face intensely changed then.

"You think I'm wha-?" she said.

"Uhhhh…" Aang said blushing a bit, "It made me laugh seeing your face…" he said. Wrong move, "I mean…because you were smiling…." Still not good, "I mean laughing…it made me laugh too…" this wasn't getting him anywhere.

Ty Lee didn't say anything, "Oh…" finally he heard, he immediately started going to the wreckage in the rocks, "SO…" he said loudly, "How's about helping me with your _"Fly-y thing?"_


	7. Chapter 7

**Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations**

_**Torn**_

Aang and Ty Lee had now drug the pieces of the glider-thing to where Aang had found the large piece of wood. He had earth bent it, but for when he was tired of doing that, (his foot did take somewhat of a tole on his concentration), Ty Lee would help him do it manually.

It wasn't as cold as it had been, in fact the sun began to burn off a little of the cloud, they could even see it peeking from behind the grey shadows.

Ty had positioned the wood against to other rocks Aang had earth bent to be like a table, he was now concentrating on how he would make _his_ glider-thing. "I got it…" Aang said, Ty Lee sat up from the rock she was lying on.

"Got what?"

Aang took off his shirt and laid it down on the piece of tree, he measured out the length to have a visible marker.

"Okay…" Aang said, "Stand back….." Ty Lee hopped up on her rock, on one hand. He smirked at her, "Stop showing off!" he said smiling, "I can't make a mistake…"

She relaxed and returned to her cross legged position higher on the rock. He breathed then pulled his hands back violently, immediately a shaft of grey rock spat out of the ground underneath the tree, taking part of the tree with it. The sides of the rock table held the tree in place.

The result was it had been carved into a more slim shape at the sides. He did it again, carving more, he focused narrowing his eyes.

Ty Lee watched him work, he wasn't…normally buff or toned like say Zuko, or the March chi ball players were back home, or Tin Sio the strong man of her circus…although he was funny like him….and bald…minus the mustache…

At any rate she had to confess….he was well toned enough...in a cute way, he had that….skinny muscle, like her friend shu, he was the tight rope walker, not buff like Tin Sio, but still could lift what you wouldn't expect him to.

He jerked his hands up again and another chunk flew, she leaned her head on her hands, he jerked his hands again and a piece flew but not what he wanted.

He propped up the log upwards so one of its branches was facing upwards, he held it steady. In his other hand he made a fist and flexed…his muscled showed a bit more noticeably when he did. Ty bit her lip…with a yell he jerked his hand forwards in a spear-hand strike, "K-YAH!" he cried.

-_SPLINTER_- went the wood, cleanly chopped and devoid of its branch. Ty Lee raised an eye brow, biting both sides of her lip…Aang backed up, and placed the log back on its side, well now it resembled more of a plank.

"Hey wanna give me a hand with the wing?" He said turning back to her, she snapped her eyes back up to his, "HUH?" she said.

"The wing…wanna give me help?" Aang said, apparently not knowing she'd been…observing him just now.

"UH…" she said, she snapped out of her brain stall,

"YEP!"

She cart wheeled off of the rock to where he was in seconds. He blinked from the speed it took to get from where she'd been to where she was now standing. She put her hands on her hips again smiling like she did in the circus.

He grinned at her a little weirdly then shook his head and went over to the side of the wing opposite her on the ground.

"Whenever you do that…" he said waiting for her to take the other end, "You do that pose thing…"

She took her side up hurriedly, she knew what he was talking about but didn't show she did.

"Watcha mean?" she asked innocently. They both lifted the wing up,

"I mean…." He said, "That thing you do with your hands on your hips smiling…" he said. "Seems rehearsed…"

"Oh…" she said not expecting that comment.

Aang quickly recovered himself,

"Meaning…" he added, "It looks like you've done that sort of thing before…" they both lifted the wing to be perpendicular with the wood, making a cross eventually.

She smiled again, "Mhmm." She replied, wanting him to ask more. "Well?..." he asked after a pause, squinting his eyes down the side of the wing to make sure it was level.

"Jumpy flippy stuff, our whole family did…" she said letting her end down, "Hey hold yours up!" Aang said quickly. She quickly put her end up higher.

"Your whole family?" Aang said, "Were they like the Kehoshi warriors..?" he asked. Ty Lee bit her lip at their mention.

He hadn't noticed though, he was still looking at the wings' angle to the wood.

"Kind of…." She said slowly. "Cool!" Aang said smiling and looking up this time,

"Really?" Ty asked excitedly, "Yeah…" Aang said, "I never had any brothers and sisters…" he said, Ty Lee bit her lip again and hurriedly looked at the wing to, pretending to look at its angle or something.

Aang looked at it again himself apparently not minding or noticing. "What about your parents?" she asked, moving her hair out of the way of her face.

"Well I didn't…" Aang said, "Really…" she looked at him, "Know them….exactly….."

"OH!" Ty Lee said, "Sorry…."

Aang grinned to himself without looking up from this work, gliding his hands along the table, making it sand the wood gently as he did.

"Don't be…" he said frankly, "I had a family…" he smiled.

"Who?" Ty Lee said,

"The other air benders…." Aang said, then realized where the conversation could go if they went on.

"So uh…" he said standing up from the table, "Ty Lee?" she looked at him, "Yup?"

"Uhh…why'd you join the Fire Nation?" he asked, she looked at him oddly, "I _AM_ Fire Nation…" she said.

"I know that…" Aang said rubbing the back of his head, backing up against the canyon wall. "What I meant was, you seem….nice…."

She still looked at him oddly.

"By that I mean…" he said, "That…you don't seem like the other…"

She waited,

"Members in your group bent on capturing me….." he went on, Ty nodded, understanding.

Aang waited for her to say more and she didn't.

"I meant that as a complement to you…" he said taking his hand off his neck.

Ty Lee grinned a bit, "I know…" She said not raising her voice about _just_ hearable…

Aang felt like he shouldn't press the matter but he did, "You okay?..." he asked, leaning on the wing.

She smiled up at him, "Yeah…" she clapped her hands, "Come on…lets finish your glidey-thing."

He grinned too, though he was still concerned, "Oh it's not just mine…" he corrected. He walked around to her side, she watched him.

"It's yours too" he said took up the taking off his belt and measuring it. She looked at him even funnier,

"What….are you doing?" she asked backing a bit.

"Just hold still a second…" he said squatting down next to her, "I have to measure you…"

"OH…." She said relaxing a bit, her fists unclenched. He put the belt to her feet, and measured from there to her side, to her shoulder finally.

He compared her size to that of the wood, then smiled, "Perfect!" he said excitedly, "Your even smaller then I'd hoped.

She looked at him questioningly,

"I mean…" he said, "you probably weigh less than I thought you did…that's perfect…"

"Why?" she said, not sure how to take that,

"Because, the glider will be carrying two people." Aang said.

He bent the rock again, using it to sharpen the edges, and sand down the pointy parts.

"There…" he said "…..done."

"What is?" she asked, he grinned at her and extended his hand. She looked at it then went to grab it.

He took it back, "No magic punches?" he said. She smirked at him and said,

"You'll have to see Avatar…"

"Fair enough…" he said extending it again, she took it, and he helped her onto the wooden plan on the table and position her on it…

She looked up at the cloudy sky, but could see a hint of Red in the sky peeking from behind the clouds.

"Pretty…" she said.

"Yeah…" Aang said looking at her for a second, then looked at the sky where she was looking,

"OH um yeah…pretty sky….suns setting."

Ty Lee looked up at him grinning again, her eyes were wide open an perky, and glittering it looked like…and well to be honest, jaw droppingly…radiant.

"Um!" Aang said to avert the moment he'd just had,

"Here is the rod…" he placed the other stick he had over her for her to grab, "You'll be holding, and then I'll hold another one attached to it…so we'll both be able to fly out of here…" He said grinning.

"Thanks again…" she said

"Hey I told you didn't I?" Aang said, "I couldn't let you get rammed by a- " she cut him off sitting up.

"No no…" she said, "I meant…"

She bit her lip.

"Thank you…for including me…"

He looked at her oddly this time.

"The glider…thing…" she said. "Making it for two…you didn't have to…with me having to capture you and all…"

Aangs smile faded as soon as it had come at hearing the thanks, "Why?" he asked. She looked up at him with a look of asking he not ask again.

"Why…" he went on, "Do you _HAVE…_to capture me…" he said. She looked away a little, he sighed.

"Because…." She said quietly, "Your…bad….." she said as if she were reminding herself.

"I think you know better than that Ty Lee…" he said seriously.

She still wouldn't look at him, "Would you at least look at me…" he asked.

She sat up, "I don't have to do anything you say!" she said suddenly upset.

Aang backed up a step, she made an effort to get off the table, but the glider almost tipped, he caught it just in time and she helped.

"I'm not demanding anything…" Aang said frustrated, "I'm just asking!"

"Well don't ask!" Ty Lee stormed.

"I should have known…" Aang said narrowing his eyes and putting his belt back on.

"Yeah…WHAT Avatar?" she said folding her arms, glaring.

"That you could be any different…" he said crossly. She froze a little but he kept going

"Look, I get it!" Aang said angrily, "I'm the enemy! That you've made painfully clear, your books, your stubbornness, your machines, your INVASIONS... in spite of the fact I haven't done a THING to any of you!"

Ty Lee just glared at Aang but he saw something else, "What are you afraid of Ty…WHY are you afraid what you know may be wrong?" he asked.

"NOTHING!" she said, "The Fire Nation isn't scared of ANYTHING!"

"Except for me…" Aang said propping the glider back on to the table to be balanced right.

Ty Lee glared at him, "We aren't afraid of you…and…and neither am I!" she said upset.

"You're just in the way…like at Sozen's Seige." she said glaring. This made Aang boil.

"In the way?..." he said glaring back, she had to admit she wasn't used to seeing him actually mad.

**"IN THE WAY!"** he belted, and it echoed; Ty Lee jumped.

"THAT'S WHY YOUR NATION WENT OUT OF THE WAY TO KILL US ALL? WE WERE NEVER _IN_ YOUR WAY, _YOU_ PUT US IN YOUR WAY! WE NEVER ASKED FOR THIS, _I_ NEVER ASKED FOR THIS! I NEVER EVEN WANTED TO BE AVATAR! I'M JUST TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE, IS THAT SO BAD!"

She just looked wide eyed at his exclamation, pretending like her lip wasn't shaking.

"IS IT SO BAD THAT YOU HAD TO- "

He couldn't finish.

"But….but we had to hunt you…" She said again with a tone of trying to convince herself more than him.

"You were going to ruin everything! Change everything! Flying in on your Bison thing and just…" Ty Lee said trying to match his level of being mad, but was more shaken then anything.

"YEAH WHAT?" Aang said still angry, angrier still now that she'd brought up his still missing Appa.

"WORLD DOMINATION? PAIN? SUFFERING OF PEOPLE? YOU WANT THAT TO HAPPEN! HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF?"

Ty Lee's fists were clenched again.

"I'M NOT LIKE THAT!" She said… "OKAY, I'M NOT- " She fumbled for what she was trying to convey.

"I tried you know?..." Aang said saddly as well as angry, "I tried to make up for abandoning the world…I tried to believe you could be different from the other bullies in the Fire Nation, but you know what? You aren't….and you never will be…you're all just the same! You'll never be your own person!"

Suddenly he saw Ty Lee crying a little, "I KNOW!" she shrieked at him, and ran.

Aangs anger lifted off of him like the Storm the night before; what had he done? She'd pushed his buttons alright, but he should've known better then to blow up at her like that.

"Wait!" He said. But she was gone, and it was getting slowly darker."TY LEE!" he said louder, echoing through the canyon, but no reply came. None but the familiar rumble of Thunder…


	8. Chapter 8

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Reprisal_

"TY-LEE!"

Aang called out, but there was no reply, thunder rolled over head, he hadn't counted on their being another storm so soon.

His foot was better, so he could limp very quickly to give the illusion of running, though not very fast. He used his stick a good portion of the way, especially for rock slope portions.

"TY!" he called out, still he only heard his echo, oh how could he have been so blind…he could tell that she was just…confused, it wasn't a small thing asking someone to basically betray their homeland by agreeing with you. Exploding like he did wasn't going change any of that, but the temple, what the Fire Nation had done...she had pressed his buttons, especially since he was in this predicament because of her...and her band…yet he couldn't leave her out her…seeing her face crumble in front of him like that snapped him out of his anger like slapping someone awake from a dream.

It was like seeing a child cry, and cry because of something you knew was wrong. She hadn't known…..he'd of loved to have thought she did so he'd have a reason to vent the way he did, but she didn't know the magnitude of what her people had done, or never looked at it closely, he could see it in her eyes. And he hadn't seen the magnitude at first of…..something he said, something he said had hit home with her, enough to make her run away. Roku was right...again, there was baggage left over...

She was the enemy he knew, she was still set on taking him in...but there was something else, something couldn't let him see her get hurt cause of him. She wasn't technically his responsibility, and yet he felt so guilty…..was it the conflict? He'd seen that in her eyes to. He was questioning her and making her question herself…that's what got her disconcerted, then he dug for more and she lashed out for it, and then hell broke loose….that had been his fault.

Thunder rolled again, with any luck she'd run into him coming back the other way, he knew she didn't like Lighting storms, after last night anyway.

* * *

Toph was land surfing on a mound of ground that moved like a ball through water being pushed like wheel. She held Katara's comb in her hand.

"Here…lemur-lemur-lemur-bat…!" She called looking around the trees she passed by.

"It's Toph…..Twinkle-Toes' awesome trainer…come on…I have Katara's dumb cooooooomb, where are you?"

Oh she hoped she hadn't been too late, she thought she'd heard Mo-Mo's familiar call in the distance when she was out stretching her legs that morning, she could also hear falcon pigeons, and Momo's voice sounded skittish.

Instinctively she called out for Aang but no reply came, and besides, she couldn't smell him in the air as she tested it. For some reason, Momo had returned without Aang, she had to get to him to make him tell them where his Master was. With the others asleep from searching all day before that, she grabbed the one thing she remembered Momo liked to play with, Katara's comb, and made off after the sounds. She had of course attempted to wake Sokka, but he was inconsolable in his slumber, murmuring about a mushroom being friendly.

Katara had stirred a little, seen it was Toph, then gone back to sleep grumpily. Toph decided if she was going to be like that she'd find Mo-mo and hence Aang by herself and get to tell her how she wouldn't wake up and rub it in her face.

"Momo…" she said trying to call him like Aang did….and failed miserably,

Suddenly she heard feathers moving in the air, encircling…something. Several birds, all flying around something, it was the falcon-pigeons; she could tell be a call one of them made. Momo had to be hiding somewhere nearby, but if they were flying around the same spot, they knew where he was…they just couldn't get to him… Feeling the ground with her feet, she could feel something breathing in and out in the earth, two things actually, in the ground in a hole just under the falcon-pigeon circle. She made her way to the surface of the land underneath the birds. As she guessed one of the falcon-pigeons dove at her to get her to back up, big mistake on its part. A slant of rock drove out of the earth in front of the birds face, making it jet back as fast as it had flown in the other direction. At seeing this, the other birds fled.

"Yeah you _better_ run…" she laughed at them squawking away. She knelt down next to the place in the earth she'd felt the breathing and heart beats and motion. Sure enough there was a place where the ground had been dug up revealing a small hole must have not been covered up from not wanting to put their paws above ground.

She thought about asking Momo and….whatever else it was in the whole to come out gingerly like Aang did, but while she was puckering her lips to do so she said,

"Wait what am I doing? GET OUT OF THERE!" She said firmly slamming her foot on the ground, making both Momo and a frightened sounding rabbit-squirrel shoot out of the ground like they had been catapulted.

She put her hand out to catch Momo but he flapped his wings getting his bearings in the air and began doing loops, making excited sounds.

"Hey!" Toph said, "Easy…where'd twinkle toes get off too!" Momo kept talking excitedly,

Momo flapped his wings over her head and flew in a direction heading South, Toph followed the sound of his wings.

"You know I can't see you right? Is he in trouble…." Toph said, feeling a little queasy. What if it had been her fault, what if Aang was in danger or worse and she had given him too much rope.

Momo just continued flapping his wings loudly, like he knew she was blind somehow, and kept flying back to her from the direction he'd come, than back again.

"Stay here!" she said, "I'm going to get the others!" She could hear his flapping staying in one spot in the air meaning the little flyer had understood what she'd said, and she immediately ran back to camp on her mound of earth the same way she'd come.

* * *

Aang used his staff like a pole vault to launch himself over a barrier of fallen trees, he landed on the other side on his good foot thankfully, had it been the bad one he would've had to of taken another break. Remembering his own words of wisdom he quickly rock bended another smiley face on the wall next to him so as to know how to come back this way.

"TY!" he called again, the Thunder crashed this time, it didn't roll. He'd expected it to take longer for the storm to reach its peak.

Suddenly it began to rain, he now came to a shallow and open part of the canyon, bowl shaped in a way, he thought he saw something pink as the rain grew more heavy.

"Ty Lee?" he asked. He sped towards what he thought he saw, finding it to be part of her sash, the one the Sheep-let had chewed on, it was hanging from a withered tree. Suddenly he heard something behind him,

"Ty L-" he said turning around, then saw it was indeed, not Ty Lee….it was the culprit responsible for the bones he'd seen earlier.

Glaring at him with black eyes, breathing heavily in the rain, with hot breath pouring from its nostrils…was a Saber-toothed Echidna.

Aang just looked at it, it looked back at him…its jaws were opening and shutting as it breathed, with teeth that seemed to reach to the back of its neck. Its body that was shaped like a badger moles but slimmer. It swayed in the rain steadily, its back was more arched like that of a lion, but the quills on its back glistened in the rain, as numerous as fur…

Aang just stayed calm and steadied himself, this wasn't a battle he'd of chosen. He'd known that Saber toothed Echidna's were local to the Earth kingdom, but why this mountain? They were skilled earth benders, like the badger mole, and one of the few that would hunt badger mole if there were enough of them. Its raiser sharp claws scratched the earth leaving marks as it moved slightly from the breathing in and out.

The rain poured down harder, making everything seem more grey, and thunder rolled again. Neither he nor the beast moved still.

Ty Lee...what if she had already met up with this creature….what if he'd gotten there too late.

There was a flash of lightning and as it illuminated the air, it seemed to Aang as if the beast had teleported from several yards from him, to right in front of him, its jaws gaping, and its face contorting to open those jaws shown in full detail by the electric light.

Aang stumbled back from the surprise of its speed and moved out of the way using the earth beneath his feet to slide to the side, as he did he felt the sleeve of his tunic being ripped into, missing his shoulder.

Aang again used the stick to pole vault himself up and over its spiked body. He landed on the ground on his good foot fortunately once again, just in time to have that foot swept from underneath him by the creatures tale, Aang howled as a quill the size of his thumb stuck in his good calf.

He landed on his hip, but too full of adrenalin to be slowed, he sunk his hand deep into the wet ground and commanded it to yank the patch of earth he was on back as fast as he could make it do. He shot from the place he had been on the ground as a huge long clawed digging paw of the creature slammed down where he had been. It swung another paw down as he moved back, still missing him by an inch.

Aang summoned a patch of hard rock under the earth to jet up, hoping to block the Echidna's path for it to run into like the Sheep-hog.

This availed nothing as with another swipe of its paw it pushed the earth aside, it had been too much wet earth, not enough ROCK, where was the iron this lightning was attracted to?.

He jetted another shaft of ground at it, this one had harder rock in it, from the side of the canyon wall, but the earth bending creature knocked it aside as well like wither ball, breaking it into 3 pieces from the swipe.

Aang was standing to his feet now, which was hard as the ground was slippery and wet with mud, plus he had a stinging sensation in one of his feet, and in a leg he was still recoiling from an enormous spike stuck in the side.

He commanded several earth barriers between him and the creature, these were harder, the creature was savagely breaking them down, though not as easily as it had been before.

Suddenly he saw an opening as he blinked from the rain pouring onto his face, its shoulder, he could send a piece of rock from the canyon wall he was about to be backed against right at its shoulder as hard as he could. It would be enough to make it recoil, as a lot of its strength came from the shoulders. He jerked his staff back and it dug into the canyon wall behind him, he waited for the Echidna to strike down the second to last barrier, and as it raised its arm for another blow, he struck out with his staff sending a chunk flying at the creature…too late.

He'd winced from putting too much weight on his not yet better foot, and the rock grazed the beast's shoulder rather than hitting the socket. The creature did howl, but consequently also struck down relentless fast snapping the front portion of Aangs Stick into splinters, and sending a pain up his arm from the shock of the blow.

Aang spun around from the momentum and pressed his back against the wall, when he turned around again the last rock barrier was down and the beast was opening its jaws at him once more.

Gritting his teeth and seeing he was cornered Aang made the Earth on either side of him slam in front of him making one more wall for the claws to hit instead of him, the claws stuck through the earth like a spear through a pillow, only half a foot from his face. Suddenly Aang saw a glimmer of light in the rain, but it wasn't the lightning.

There was a –_PLING_- sound of metal hitting one of its quills and the creature made an aggravated howl, and turned around snarling.

Whatever had gleamed in the rain had hit it on the back, sending a piece of its back quills flying. The object clanged to the ground, and Aang could see it was the dagger Ty Lee had found.

Horror struck he looked over the shoulder of the creature as it did the same, seeing a brightly clad young girl against the grays and darks of the rocks behind her.

She stood atop a boulder, high up and looking down at the creature and himself. She did a back flip off of the rock she was on disappearing behind it and the creature turned its body around in a full 180 and dove at the patch of boulders, crashing through them with a swipe of its paws.

"NO!" Aang said.

Ty Lee hit the ground, landing on her toes, then heels, then rolled back with the momentum, thankful it was soft ground instead of some of the area hard with rock. She spun out of the roll, kept her head down and ran as fast as she could, hearing the rocks she'd just been standing on crash behind her, she screamed from the suddenness of it but still ran.

It made a swipe at her feet, but she had already jumped to the next area she was hoping to reach, a slanted portion of the canyon was, she grabbed onto it with both hands and hoisted herself up in one move then ran alongside the semi flat and level ledge along the wall.

She could hear, and feel the vibrations of the chunks of wall behind her caving in from being scratched at by the claws of the…whatever it was. All she had to do was lead it far enough away from Aang then lose it in the hideaway she'd found, hopefully this thing couldn't dig.

She saw a tree branch sticking out of the side of the canyon wall on the other side of her and planting her feet on the side of the wall, kicked off and grasped hold of the branch on the other side.

She could feel the creature's swipe underneath her mid flip, she clung on fastly to the branch.

Pulling herself up she looked down at the creature, it wasn't a jumper, its legs weren't long enough, its power came from its reach from its front arm paws. Suddenly it began clawing its way on the wall bellow her, climbing up the wall as it dug its talons into the rock. Her eyes grew to humongous size and she flipped off of the branch on to the first ledge she saw.

It wasn't stable, she sprung off of it like she had in the circus when she had to dive after moving obstacles to gain her footing.

She slid down a slanted part of the canyon wall, then jumped off when she was low enough to the ground again, and ran for her life. She could hear the creature landing to the ground again behind her and picking up the chase.

It was just like the lion zebra in the circus that Tsu-Zackre tamed, only this wasn't an act, if it caught her this time, she'd be eaten….for real.

She came to the dead end she'd found, but she remembered the hand held in the rock, if she could climb to the top quick enough, hopefully she could lose it in the hideaway she'd found. However now she knew that it could also climb….and from the look of those claws, dig…this was beginning to look less and less like a good plan.

Using what speed she had left for running she leapt an incredible leap from the ground, sinking her hands onto the hand holds she'd remembered being there, then began scrambling up the wall.

Suddenly there was a roar and the wall shook, she nearly lost her footing. She looked down to see the monster slamming its arms against the base of the wall, making it shake, but why wasn't it climbing after her?

She looked up hearing a cracking and creaking, the wall was coming down, she looked down again seeing pieces of it already breaking up and falling, she lost her hand holds and was now falling through the air with pieces of cliff rock in what seemed like slow motion.

No…she would NOT die because of some stupid Earth Kingdom monster…..

The slow manner in which the debris seemed to be falling was from years practicing falling in the circus…She spun her body in mid-air like she'd been trained to on the trapezes, and put her feet on a large chunk of rock, and flipped off of it onto another piece higher up, then another, until finally she had gotten high enough to ling onto a ledge in the rock side…which also gave way.

She fell on her side wincing, and scooted back as fast as she could against the wall of the cliff at a complete loss of what to do.

The rain poured down still, harder than it had been, making things harder to see behind the creature, like a water wall closing them in.

The monster was now coming towards her, not in a rush like it had been, it had her cornered, and was now leering at her, its teeth in a fearsome grin, now snarling suddenly it opened its jaws. Ty just kept backing up, grabbing onto a long piece of the cliffs debris, ready to go down fighting if she had too.

Suddenly she felt very cold, as if the temperature had dropped lower than it had already. She could see the creature had noticed it to for it shifted and saw its own breath just as she saw hers.

She saw it turn around, obviously sniffing something. Suddenly a wall of mud shot up from behind it and gulped up the creature like a tidal wave. She shrieked a little backing up more as the wave of mud lapped her feet and ankles.

The creature began writhing in the wave sending mud everywhere, roaring and clawing. Ty looked around to see what was happening and then suddenly the rain fell exclusively hard on the beast, pounding at it while it rolled to get back on its feet, now the wind was picking up and moved the rain with it almost like an arm or whip, and began curling around the beast. It was Aang it had to be…

She saw the curtain of rain suddenly begin to move around the creature as it finally got to its feet, then was knocked over again, then she saw him…..Aang circling the monster with his hands out, his face was tightened in a look of determination and pain at once, he waved his hands to the left, sending the creature turning with its legs kicking the air, the then brought a rock down from the cliffs side on top of its stomach. He pinned it making the rock bend around the creature to the ground and fasten itself.

He then began bending the water from the rain, even though she could tell it was taking a toll on him as she stood up. He bent the rain around his head in a large ring like circle. He then cast the ring over the creature until the water spread from it out over the it like a blanket.

She began walking over to Aang, but Aang's full attention was on the beast. He summoned the rest of his strength and made the whole creature enveloped in water, then blew as hard as he could. The air grew colder as it had when she'd noticed something was off, and saw the rain around the creature was turning into icicles.

Snow now fell around it, until finally as he stopped blowing, the whole creature was incased in hardened mud and ice.

Aang sunk to his knees, then on his seat exhausted. Ty Lee rushed to him holding him up from falling on his face too.

Aang sneezed, and a gust of wind shot out as he did, making Ty Lee's hair blow, even though she was too the side of him.

Ty Lee wiped some rain out of her eyes, and knelt down next to Aang, "Bless you…" she said smirking.

Aang looked at her and smiled, "Excuse me…" he said a little weary and out of breath.

She looked back at the creature, "What was that thing?" she said. Aang didn't reply but was feeling his feet.

She looked down to see him doing so and saw that there was a torn part in the calf portion of his pants,

"It stuck you?" she asked

He nodded, "I pulled it out…." He said, "Still feels weird though…."

"Can you walk?..." Ty Lee asked. Aang looked up at the rain as it thundered again above them. "I'll be okay in a little bi- "

"AAACHOOOO!"

He let another wind curdling sneeze fly, she rolled her eyes, "Com on….." she said lifting him up off the ground.

"What?" Aang said, but not stopping her either.

She lifted him surprisingly onto her back, like a piggy back ride.

"I'll be fine…" Aang protested, "I just need a bit to catch my breath…." She began walking.

"You aren't staying in the rain anymore then you have already…" she said, smiling to herself for sounding like her nanny when she scolded her sisters and her.

"You know you've gotta stop running off like that…" Aang said. Ty Lee smirked as she trudged on the way she'd come,

"I thought I saved YOU _first_…" she said coyly,

"Well I thought _I_ saved YOU last…" Aang said in the same manner,

"Yeah…" Ty Lee responded, "But that's what you Avatars do…" She said quoting him, "This is a new thing for me…"

Aang didn't answer as she kept going, she wondered what his face was behind her…

"Thanks…" he said. "I know…"

She smiled, "Boys…" she said to herself.

Aang looked at the clear path that had been made by the rampaging monster giving chase to her and him.

"Know what?" Aang said.

"What?" she asked stopping for a bit, and getting a little tired honestly.

"Let me down, I've got the rest of this…" he said.

"You can't walk yet…" Ty Lee said.

"We won't be walking…" Aang said, thunder rolled over them again, with a bit of lighting, but it didn't crash down to where they were, there was no iron in this portion of the hills apparently.

She set him down carefully and hugged her arms feeling cold now, "Can you bend fire?" she asked.

Aang paused, "No…." he said steadying his feet.

"Ugh…" Ty Lee said,

"But this'll do for now…." He said raising his hands again.

The rock mounds he'd made before rose up from the ground again, he sat on one of them, she immediately did the same. They began moving down the canyon pass the rubble made by their narrow escape and battle.

The rain however made it very hard for Aang to see where to go when it came to the twists and turns in the canyon.

"Are we lost?" Ty Lee asked.

Aang shook his head,

"No…but we don't want to be, I'm going to set up camp here…it's getting to dark…" he said pointing to an area that had a mound of rock over it , keeping that portion dry.

"It's not big enough…." Ty lee protested, Aang got off his mound of earth and it sunk back into the ground and he pushed his hands towards the place of rock and it dove backwards into darkness, making a cave. He began moving his arms around in what Ty Lee guessed was a kata of sorts and watched until it was done, deep enough and strong enough to hold the weight of the rock over them.

He stood outside the newly made, wider entrance,

"After you…." He said politely over the rains roar.

She smiled and entered still hugging her arms and sat down on what she was glad was dry ground. He came in after her and sat down on a further side of the cave.

He ripped a piece of his tunic off, the robe part, and held it up, he began moving his hand over it,

"What are you doing now?" Ty Lee asked sitting cross legged and shivering. He didn't answer and she was about to ask again until she saw that he was drawing the water out of the robe until it was dry.

"How…" she said questioningly.

"I may not bend fire yet…." Aang said putting the now DRY clothe down on the ground, "We searched for a fire bending teacher, but we couldn't find him..."

"But I know how to make do with what I have…." He took out now, the piece of broken wood he'd formally used as a walking stick and did the same to it.

Now the wood was bare and dry, he placed it on the piece of cloth. Ty Lee just shut up and watched him work.

He hit the cave ceiling wall with his fist and two hand sized pieces of sharp rock fell, he caught the two and twirled them between his fingers, she giggled and rolled her eyes.

He began scraping them against each other, they made sparks over the cloth and wood until one spark hit the wood and began to glow orange, Aang took a deep breath, and as the glow looked like it was going to blink out like a star, he blew, and the flame grew, and grew, until it was a good sized flame the size of a thumb.

"Wow!" Ty Lee said wide eyed, "I thought you couldn't bend fire…" she said.

"I can't.." he said truthfully, and repeated the process until the wood and the cloth were on fire to the size of both of a wither ball.

"But fire needs air to breath…" He explained.

"Like we do …" she piped happily at her own revelation.

This made Aang stop for a second to think, then shook his head and continued blowing on the flame making it grow.

"But I thought air blew out fire…?" Ty Lee said scooting closer.

Aang poked the fire a little with the other broken end of the stick.

"It does, but only because there's too much of it, like wind, it's too strong for the fire and counts it out…"

Ty Lee put her hands up to it, "Wow…." She said."I guess they're kind of the same…"

Aang looked up at her, "Whatta ya mean?" he asked.

"Fire and Air…" She said, "..To much of it and it counts something out."

Aang said nothing for a while feeding the fire, "I guess…." He said.

Ty Lee bit her lip and scooted closer, "Why are you doing all this?" she asked.

Aang looked at her now, she put up her hands

"And don't say it's what you Avatars do…" she said.

Aang smiled a little,

"Why wouldn't I?" he said.

Ty Lee looked at him with a raised brow, "Why wouldn't you?" she asked, "Well because I was going to-…because I have to capture you and bring you back…"

She said this sounding confused he'd ask,

"Like you said…I'm your enemy…so…"

Aang looked up from the fire, "I don't want us to be…" he said honestly, she looked at him.

"…I know…" Ty said a softly.

After a pause Aang asked,

"Why Ty Lee….." she didn't answer.

"Why do we _HAVE_ to be enemies?..."

Ty Lee just hugged her legs, "Why do you _Have_ to help your enemies…." She asked instead of answering.

Aang looked at the fire now to, making eye contact seemed to be awkward for some reason.

"Because…..it's the right thing to do…" he said, "It's how I was taught….."

Ty Lee looked at him now, "…me too I guess…" she said. He returned her gaze and smiled a little. She had meant what she was doing was all she'd been taught...at least he thought so.

"I'm sorry for what I said by the way….." he said. She looked at him and asked,

"What?"

Aang sighed, "About you not being different…" Ty Lee kept looking at him,

"Oh…that…..well maybe your right…"

"No I wasn't…" Aang said, "I was angry….it made me say things I shouldn't have said."

Ty Lee glanced to the side, "But…I said some rotten things to you…"

Aang nodded a bit, "Still…" he said. "I could've reacted better…"

"You sort of reminded me of Zuko…" she said smiling a bit at the flame, "He's always mad…"

"Oh the prince?" Aang said, "Wow…he's really really mad when ever I've seen him…I hope I wasn't as mean as that…"

Ty Lee giggled, "You seemed as fussy, just cuter…." she said.

"Yeah?" Aang said smiling unintentionally wide. "Ahem! Um…I mean good…good that I'm not as fussy, I mean…."

"I still think you may have been right though…" she said returning her gaze to the fire.

"About what?..." Aang said,

"About me…being no different…" she said, "Not being my own person…being weak…"

Aang scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah well-, HEY, I never said you were weak!" He said, hoping that he hadn't in actuality said that and forgotten.

Ty Lee looked up, "No…" she said smirking a bit, "That was probably me…" she admitted.

"Or Azula…" she mumbled but Aang caught it.

"Azula?" he asked.

Ty Lee shrugged a little… "She's probably right…she always is…"

Aang narrowed his brows a bit, "This Azula says your weak?" he asked.

Ty Lee looked at him, "Well it's kind of obvious…" she said,

"Not to me it isn't…." Aang said. "In fact it's just the opposite…"

Ty Lee sighed, "Look…remember I told you that I was…..in a family that did those acrobatic things as a profession?"

Aang thought and remembered nodding. She sighed, "It…was the circus…." she said.

"Really?" Aang said. She nodded not wanting to see his reaction, "That's awesome!" she heard him say and snapped her head up.

She saw that his face wasn't that of making fun, but actually the look of being impressed.

"Awesome that I'm a circus freak….?" She asked confused, but not hiding a grin.

"You're not a freak." Aang corrected, "You and your family did what you loved. Circus' bring happiness to others while doing that, and you do a lot of stuff other people wish they could do."

Try as she may she couldn't hide her smile from him, and that just made his grow in size as well.

"You sound like Tsu…" she said. Aang grinned a little hearing that, "Tsu?"

He asked, "Tsu Zackre…" she replied. "Our ring leader…"

Aang sat a bit closer, "Who was your family in the circus…?" he asked. Her smile changed again,

"Well...see" she started,

"We weren't...all in the circus..." she said. "So…you don't think I'm odd…?" she asked.

Aang looked at her, "Odd?" he questioned.

She suddenly flipped from hugging her knees to standing on her hands, in one swift motion, "Yeah…this stuff…." She said, "You don't think that's weird for someone to do…all the time?"

Aang sat in his place still holding his own knees, "Well…." He said, "It's not what you'd call normal…" he admitted.

"See?" she said glumly and slumped back in the position she was in.

"I never said that was bad!" Aang corrected, "You don't have to be like everyone else, be yourself…"

Ty wasn't smiling still. "That's why I do it…" she confessed. Aang raised a brow,

"The…flippy things…" she said, "They make me happy…..make me feel…like it's always me…"

Aang looked at her trying to grasp what she was saying, Ty Lee sighed and scooted closer to Aang in front of their fire which he now blew on to keep going.

"Back at home…" she started, "I have…well a lot of sisters…" she said.

"They all look like me almost exactly…some even sound like me…" she said. "When you're parents are nobility, having a nanny is a must if you have that many kids…"

Aang nodded as he listened.

"But…" she said, "It can also make them forget to be…parents…" she said. Aang bit his lip.

"…When your kids are just another crowd to you….it's easy for the second littlest one to…blend in…to it."

She fwipped her hair out of her face as she continued.

"My name isn't Ty Lee you know that?" she said suddenly changing the subject.

Aang looked at her puzzled by this shifting in tracks,

"I changed it…made it shorter when I joined the circus…" she said, "So that it would sound less like my other sisters names…."

Aang didn't look away once,

"I was always jumping around…like that…" she moved her finger around in the air symbolizing a jump flip,

"It made me feel….like I stuck out somehow…even if it was for my own benefit. My parents would punish me for it…but it was worth it almost…it meant they noticed me…I wasn't just… _"__One of the children__.."_

Aang sighed, "Is that why you ran away?" he asked. Ty Lee looked at him.

"Yes…." She said.

"At first it was just a…a thought, but then I realized, if I did, they'd come look for me and have to realize…we were more than just ornaments in their house to look nice for guests….that we needed to SEE them once in a while when it wasn't a party where the children have to be present….that I was their daughter….with a name….one they wouldn't confuse with another of my sisters as if it was a wrong street address."

Aang rubbed his shoulders, "What did they say when they came looking for you…?"

Ty Lee didn't say a thing, "What?" Aang persisted, "Were they that mad?..."

Ty Lee just looked down, Aang finally made the connection. "…..they didn't come after you…" he said.

Ty Lee buried her face in her arms hugging her knees to her chest, "They thought it was too much of an embarrassment…that **I** was too much of an embarrassment…what I'd done…running like that, they pretended like they never even had me…"

Aang could hear her crying in her arms, "I wasn't even worth coming after…I was _that_ replaceable…Like I am now, no one's coming for me!...They had plenty more daughters where I came from…right?"

Ty Lee could feel an arm being put around her shoulder, and felt herself being hugged into Aang's chest. Instead of resisting however she found herself throwing her arms around him and crying into his arm as the last of the fire licked in front of him…


	9. Chapter 9

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Past present rectification_

Aang slowly awoke, blinking his eyes and stretched. His hand came down again feeling….Ty Lee was no longer in his arms… Wait a minute, in his arms!

That wasn't a dream, Ty Lee had cried herself to sleep in his arms. But where was she now?

Aang looked out the entrance to his makeshift cave but saw no one. Perhaps they might have some sun today after all, it looked bright outside.

He rubbed his eyes and stood up, "Ty Lee?" he asked, no reply. Wow what an odd night…attacks from Saber-toothed Echidna's, rain storms, cave making, crying…sleeping on his shoulder….this was getting to weird.

He looked out the entrance, no one was at the right or the left. He remembered the surprise attack from last time, but also felt, due to the unexpected cuddling the night before that he had little to fear there….wow girls were crazy.

"Ty!" he called again, still no reply. He walked out onto the wet ground, though a good deal of it was evaporating now.

They had a clear sky, that means he could climb atop one of the peaks, levitate himself, then get a view of where they were.

Still he had to find where his new…acquaintance, slash capture…was…why did she always have to disappear, he did NOT feel like rescuing her from another beast. But more than that he wanted to follow upon what they'd talked about the night before…it had gotten to him.

* * *

Toph and Katara hurried along the path Momo was leading them on, well more they rode with Toph, since she was using an earth mound to move them like a huge sled across the ground, the rough bumpy ground.

Sokka's teeth chattered, "I-I-I-I-s-s-sn't Thi-i-i-i-i-i-iss….k-kind o-o-of…" He was saying, but was cut off.

"You wanna get off and walk? Be my guest…" Toph snapped, "Just let me know when to turn right or left…"

Katara's arms were folded as they went,

"I don't see why you should be snippy with Sokka…" she said, "Seeing as how you were WRONG oh great Master…"

Toph purposefully went over a bump in the ground that made Katara bounce mid sentence, "HEY!" she exclaimed.

OH how she wanted to water bend her into next week…..but now wasn't the time, now they had to be hyper aware of what Momo told them as they went, Aang wasn't in eminent danger, but he was in trouble, they could tell from the way he chirped at them. Still they needed to get to him soon, wherever he was, she still had to explain herself to Aang, to tell him what she had meant when…

"RIGHT OR LEFT?" Toph asked, "Left!" Sokka said, "Momo says left!" Toph hung a left and continued to shoot across the valley on their rock sled.

* * *

_On the air ship above the Wung Sho pass._

Azula was eating breakfast with the captains.

"Good news your grace…" one of them said.

Azula cut into her meat not looking up from her plate, implying she expected him to just continue.

He went on, "Our agents in the Wung Sho pass say there have been no recent travelers in or out, if he's on his way there, we have enough time to set a trap."

Azula smiled looking up, "Excellent…."

One of the majors spoke up, "What if he doesn't come down?"

"Oh he'll come down…." Azula said, "There's no way his contraption could have survived that storm…he's learned earth bending and will use that to get to where he can make contact with his friends, they'll inevitably look there for him when he doesn't meet them at their hide away, it's the most logical move…"

Mai sighed, Azula didn't look at her, "Something wrong Mai…?" she said cutting into her meat again.

Mai stood up, "Guess I lost my appetite…" she said frankly, and bowed to the majors and captains before leaving.

* * *

Aang looked around, the rain water had washed a good deal of the dust and dirt off the rocks. He thought he heard music, well singing anyway, although it was distant. As he listened more he thought he heard it was humming. It was Ty Lee.

He climbed up the hill where he heard her humming coming from, he kept climbing till he came to where the ground was even, but still rocky. He heard splashing, Aang thought maybe this time he could sneak up and surprise _her._

He could hear the splashing more definite as he crept towards the large boulder it was coming from behind.

"Ty Lee?" he asked darting from behind the rock with a big expression on his face. But now the humming had stopped. He looked around and saw a pool of water before him, fairly large and sparkling in the sun light. The water was moving like it had been disturbed, and on the surface there were bubbles coming up… she must've decided to swim in it.

Suddenly she came up, lapping her head of hair over her shoulder, which was considerably longer being untied, and in doing so it splashed his face. He rubbed his eyes blinking and saw her gasp and duck back down into the water up to her shoulders. Only seeing her from her shoulders up, he could see that they were bare and only had white straps over them of…what he guessed were white undergarments, instead of the pink tunic she'd had on previously. Aang looked to the side seeing said tunic hanging from a tree, right before his hands clasped tightly over his eyes with a smack.

"GAH!" he exclaimed, "I'm sorry!" he began backing away and tripped over a rock. Still keeping his hands over his eyes, he stood up,

"I wasn't looking! I didn't see anything!" he said spinning into a stand, "I mean I wasn't trying to! NO! I mean- " He walked back again as he staggered awkwardly until he bumped into a rock that nicked the top of his head, "Ow…"he said.

Ty _WAS_ upset at first, but try as she might, Ty Lee couldn't help but giggle as he kept bumping into things refusing to open his eyes, his face red as beet.

"Just open your eyes and go back before you fall off a cliff…" she said laughing a little. She sunk back completely in the water again.

Aang opened one eye letting his fingers part a bit, and saw she had again submerged in the pool. He turned around and found his way down the hill again.

Oh GOSH that was embarrassing!…oh man oh man…Well all chances of making nice with her now were shot. The best thing he could do now was fix that glider up so they could…wait a second, the glider, it had been in the rain storm, what if it had fallen off of the rock table he'd made? What if it was damaged! But oh MAN! How could he have-? GAH! She had to have thought he was such a slime ball peeper now….Oh man oh man…...

"Hey!" he heard above him, he looked up the hill he'd just come off of, "Come up here!" he heard Ty Lee say.

Aang fidgeted, "Is okay for me too?" he asked. He heard a giggle and her reply "Yes, now come up here!"

"Okay…." He said, trying futilely to stop thinking about her in the water. Climbing back up he came to the boulder that blocked the pool of water from view, he came slowly around the corner seeing her tightening her belt around her waist over her clothes again.

"Sorry….." he said looking down.

She laughed "You were hilarious!"

Aang looked up a bit, seeing a familiar contraption at her feet, dripping like her.

"That's the…" he started.

"The claw of the fly-ey thing!" she said proudly. "I found it under the water…"

Aang scratched his head, "I didn't know you were washing, I mean it!" she smiled directly at him, but it was a frown-like smile, Aang hung his head again helplessly turning deep hue again.

He heard her foot tap a little, "I mean it….." he said honestly again, Ty Lee smiled.

"I know, you're not like other boys…"

Aang smiled a little, "That's…..good right?" he said thinking that over.

"Yeah." she said whipping her wet hair to one shoulder and began re-looping it. "It is…"

Aang smiled a little and just began to notice the sun sparkling off of the drops on her face and arms which were still bare as she had not put her sleeves on yet. He hadn't seen her with her hair down and out of its long pony tail, her hair was….well gorgeously long….and really befit her face which was smiling now in a way that…even if he wanted to he couldn't ignore.

She brought her eyes from the side back to Aang, and he pretended to look at the sun behind her instead, which he immediately regretted.

"I found the pool this morning when I was trying to get a better view of the mountain.." she said. "The sun was much brighter earlier and the water was warmer than I thought, and i was still dirty from last nights fight…so…"

Aang nodded blinking his eyes, "Good find…" then decided to give up his ridiculous alibi of not looking at her, and turned away from the sun.

"I thought um…" she continued, "Maybe you could use the parts or something….." she said.

Aang nodded blinking the last of the colorful dots out of his vision from staring at the sun for that moment of time.

"I'm sure we can, and thank you!"

She began tightening her hair to make it into an intricate pony tail again.

"Um…" She said, sounding nervous.

He looked at her. "Last night….." she started.

He put his hands up, "You needed a break, a chance to let that out, it's stressful, it would have been worse if you kept that in…"

"I don't understand why it would even matter to you…" she admitted.

Aang looked at her, "Of course it does…." He said. "It's my business to try to help others…"

Ty looked at him, "Is that just a duty? An Avatar thing?"

He shook his head, "No…" he said, "It's an Aang thing….at least this is…"

She smiled at him, _"Wow…"_ She thought to herself.

With enemies like him….who needed friends? At least that's what she was thinking. She kept trying to remind herself of the mission, of how when this was all over she'd have to overpower his bending and bring him to Azula but…that talk he'd had with her, before she ran head long into that beastie. It just…shook something in her, made her question things she didn't think she'd need to...

"I um…." She said.

"I-I've never really…met anyone like you Aang…" she said plainly….oh gosh that sounded stupid. She followed it up.

"I mean….not many people….hear my story and take your side…..usually they just stare at me or…question why I gave up my life for the circus…became a freak…"

"You're not a freak!" Aang insisted.

She hid her smile, she actually liked hearing him say that, it wasn't so much that he was saying it at all, but the way he said it was so…from his heart, so honest….and full of…something else. The way he said it made her believe it too, or at least reaffirm her belief she'd perhaps forgotten that even she didn't think she was a freak, just herself, Ty Lee.

"Thanks" she said, "It's nice to hear…from someone else." Aang grinned at her, wow…whatta grin….it was odd to say that about a smile but it was like chips' from the circus, warm and large, chip had always complimented her on having a smile like that. Only Aang's had something else, a softness behind it…but not weakness although that's what Azula would call it…and Mai would just call it looking like an idiot.

Aangs grin had a...strength behind it, kind of like his bison beast he was always escaping on, big and strong and kind of frightening because of that, but also soft and warm. She'd felt that strength, when he hugged her when she cried on his shoulder, in all her time at home…in the Fire Nation or even in the circus…she hadn't felt that, not even with her parents…not since she was 3.

She fumbled her hair and realized she was twiddling it over and over in the same loop in her pony tail, "OH!" she said immediately stopping.

"Well shouldn't we start carrying that down the hill?" he said. She nodded hurriedly, and bent to pick up the claw, but Aang had already taken it up.

"I got it!" he said.

She stepped back, "Okay Mr. Peeper…" she said narrowing her eyes in a smirk. Aang looked up and was about to open his mouth again to say he was sorry but she put a hand up.

"Kidding…" she said. She giggled again, seeing him squeal and then cover his face like that was honestly the cutest and most funny thing she'd seen in her life she thought…even funnier than that tall cute friend of his with the boomerang, which was saying something.

If it'd been any of the boys from the academy, or the young Fire Nation ship hands, or even Chip or the other circus boys…she could guarantee the wouldn't have thrown such a pickled fit over NOT seeing her, if their purpose wasn't to see her washing in the first place.

Aang lifted the device onto his shoulder and walked back down the hill, then nearly slipped.

She caught it quickly.

"Ah-ah-ah!" she said grabbing her end to keep him from sliding down the hill.

"No showing off just cause you're the Avatar…" she said scoldingly, "Your feet don't need anymore strain than necessary if you're going to be doing anymore jumping things…"

Aang looked back at her, "That a circus thing?" he asked. "Nope…" she replied, "Well yes…but it's a Ty Lee thing today…" matching what he'd said saying it was an Aang thing, not meaning that it wasn't what an Avatar would do, but that it meant that he cared…himself…she'd gotten that…and she hoped he'd gotten what she'd just said to him. Seeing the smile on his face, she was sure he did.

"Thanks…." He said and carried the piece of machine wreckage down the rocky slant.

As they traveled down the mountain, Aang began laughing to himself. Ty Lee looked over at him,

"This has been one crazy week end…" Aang said.

Ty Lee grinned, "Yeah…" she admitted, "It has…I mean rabbit squirrels and monsters, and weird knives, and gliders…it's like a story book…"

"It really is…" Aang said. "It's funny…" he said, "I was just counting on a…an eventful walk about…"

Ty Lee kept her end up, "What's that?" she asked. She'd already said a lot about herself, more to this…stranger of an Avatar then she had to those she considered close friends, she was eager to learn something about her….well she couldn't really call him prisoner…

"It's a…spirit walk….slash…self finding walk…" he explained. "What's the spirit world like?" she asked.

Aang looked up at the sky, "Well….." he said, "Some of it looks like this…only the mountains are much more beautiful…with fields and fields of lush amazing plants….with colors a lot of people don't even know exist…"

Ty Lee smiled wide at this concept, "Ohhh" she said, "Pretty! Like what colors?"

Aang chuckled, "It's sort of hard to describe a color no one's ever seen. But there are also different creatures there….talking creatures…"

"Like the talking creature myths here?" Ty Lee asked, she'd heard of stories of great talking animals before, like at the Great Library raid lead by general Zhao, of a great owl bird with a voice like an echoing tower.

"Oh yes!" Aang said, "Lots of those….and dragons….giant butterflies…" Ty Lee almost bobbed up and down on her toes,

"OOOH Butterflies?" she asked, "Can I see the spirit world?"

Aang laughed,

"That would be nice…but no…only the Avatar can travel there…" Ty Lee made a her attempt at a cute pouty face. She smiled to herself in her head seeing it mess with Aang.

"Awwwwwwwww!" he said "I'm serious, If I could I would….I'd like you to meet some friends of mine there…"

"Oh!" she said, "Thanks anyway…what friends? The Talking pretty butterflies?"

Aang laughed, "Sure them…but also someone I think you would appreciate talking too….Avatar Roku…"

"Roku?" she said snapping her head back to look at him fully, "You've spoken to him there?" She wondered who else he could talk to there, anyone else who had died?

"Sure have…" Aang said, "I think he'd like you…"

Ty Lee smiled, "Well I can see why he likes you…." She said, Aang turned to her, "Wha?" he asked.

"UM, do you meet any more…you know….dead people?" she asked, skipping the question.

Aang blinked a bit, "No….." he said. "Oh…." She said, "Just Avatar's…" Aang corrected. "There was a butter fly avatar once."

Ty Lee nearly dropped her end of the machine, "OH GOSH REALLY!"

Aang began laughing, "No…" then laughed harder. "HEY!" She said.

"If I go into the spirit world any time soon…" Aang assured her, "I'll tell Rap and Hoek about you…"

"Who are they?" she asked.

"The butter flies…" Aang sad, "Butterflies with human faces…"

"Wooooow…" Ty Lee said looking at the clouds passing over head, "And you see them everyday…"

Aang grinned, "Almost every other day…it depends on whether I need to speak to them that urgently."

"Have you talked to them yesterday or today?" Ty asked, Aang looked back at her.

"Actually yeah…" Aang admitted...

The night they spent in the cave during the lightning storm

"_Aang…Aang…"_

Aang awoke, he was in the spirit world. _"Avatar Roku….."_ Aang said.

Roku appeared in front of him out of a shaft of cloud in front of him.

"_Avatar Roku…"_ Aang said, _"I'm trapped on a mountain, do you know where it is…"_

"_It is for you and your friend to find out…."_ Roku's echoing voice said mistily.

"_Friend?"_Aang said, _"You mean the Fire Nation girl…we aren't friends, she's trying to capture me…I mean i'd like her to be...but.."_

"_And in being next to her…."_ The Avatar said still swaying as if he was part of the cloud, _"Your unresolved resentment for the Fire Nation's actions…lingers inside you, like a coal being turned over so it can keep burning. You must learn to accept…and forgive…"_

"_Forgive what they did to my people? Accept what they did to my people? How can I do that? And I'm not blaming her for it...exactly..."_

Present time/day:

They had finally reached the site where they'd left the large glider device, the sky was getting a little darker. The wood from the contraption was a little damp from the rain before still, the wood part was definitely wet. Aang had seeped the wood dry of water and splashed it on the rock wall. Ty Lee perched like a cat-coon atop boulder, watching him work, making a joke...laughing the ones he made, or giving him a hand if he needed it. The sun was setting again but Aang was pleased with how far he'd come, he was nearly finished. As he smiled at Ty Lee he realised in that whole time, he hadn't thought of Katara once, well maybe in fleeting, but...not hurtful, not like it had been when he'd left. As hectic as this week had been, it had taken his mind off of the issue he was sure would be most pressing in his mind.

Aang smiled at her and looked at the mechanism for the device, "Do you know how to work it?" Ty asked curiously.

Aang shrugged, "We'll see what looks good with what…" he said, "I'm just looking for what would help with my design more than how to rebuild your contraption…." He said.

Ty Lee flipped off of the rock in a hand stand cartwheel, landing on her feet.

"The one for both of us?" she asked. "That's the one…" Aang said, taking out a gear.

She bit her lip….why was she bugging herself to come forward? Her allegiance was to the Fire Nation….not him…even though he'd saved her life and….her friends still hadn't come. What was the use…she didn't want to see it but it was obvious, if Azula thought it was worth getting the Avatar, she'd hunt him anywhere, even here…she never gave up. But even if she had thought that Aang was dead…why wasn't she sending anyone out to look for her. She hadn't seen or heard one signal flare, no sign of a rescue…they must be lost….they had to be….

"Um…" she found herself saying. Aang looked up, "Yeah…" he said.

"I know you're not really…" she started.

"Tall?" he asked raising a brow. She smiled a bit at that , "No…" she said smiling,

"I mean…old…you're not old like a master sage or something…." she said.

Aang grinned, "Well I may not look it but technically I am…" he said, then he saw she wasn't done.

She sighed, "Can I have some…Avatar advise?" she asked biting her lip.

"Of course…" he said "I mean I'll do whatever I can…"

"Why….." she asked firmly. She asked the same way he had asked her why those many times before.

Aang put the pieces of the machine down.

"Why what?" he asked, waiting for it she could tell. "Why…" she said, "What is the real reason for…" she started.

He just looked at her, "For being….the way you are with me?" she asked finally.

Aang looked at her trying to grasp what she'd said and looking a little nervous so she explained, "What I meant is….like with helping me….saving me…listening to me…saying those things…"

Aang looked almost a little relieved but still had a serious face listening to her. "If you don't think I'm a freak what DO you think I am?" she asked.

Aang leaned on the table like he had before,

"I think….." he said, "Your….simply…." he started. She listened, "No…" he said frowning a bit, "Not simply…._extraordinarily_, an extraordinarily special person." he said.

Ty Lee was a bit taken a back at such a blatant yet heavy comment, "Why?" she asked.

"Because….even though you're with them…." He said, "Even though your orders are to kill me or hurt me or my friends…..you still know it's wrong…"

Ty Lee felt a lump in her throat, "N-no I don't…" she said defensively, but her defense dropped at the sight of Aangs honest eyes, asking the same honesty of her. "Yes you do…I can see it…" he said.

She nodded. "It wasn't right away…" she said. "Not this bad…"

Aang looked at the rocks to the side of them. "You're like these rocks…" He said, "They have moss on them, the moss breaths, and bends air…and it grows and sustains itself with life where there is none."

He made the rock roll to her, "But you were more like those rocks…." He bent a rock off of the cliff's ledge above them down to him catching it, it was more lightly colored, and definitely more dry.

"Where it was…the life wasn't allowed to grow on it…it wasn't allowed flourish like it could, being around the thin air and sun all the time…"

She looked at the two rocks trying to put it together….hoping it didn't make as much sense as she thought it did.

"All your life you've been taught to fear me…to fear what I stand for….but you know it's right…..and you know that fear isn't the way Ty….you know, and I think you've always known at some point….the path the Fire Nation is taking….isn't the right one. You just haven't been in the place where you could let the life flourish on you…you need to let it."

"But…" she said above a quiver, "I'm scared…" she said. Aang got closer,

"Ty Lee…I know that…" he had a look on his face like he was trying to remember a name, "Azula…can be scary, and what the Fire Nation does to deserters is scarier still….like I can only guess why Zuko got that scare for disobeying somewhere down the line…"

Ty Lee winced a little at hearing that,

"…but you have to make that choice to either live in fear of them, like the other nations that have been put down…..or be the YOU that you want to be so badly, the one you fight everyday to keep."

"That's…." she said meekly, "Not why I'm scared…" she said. Aang leaned off the table.

"Then what?" he asked.

She looked at him, "It isn't what Zuko's afraid of either…." She said. "He's been hurt before…" she said, "That didn't scare him….and being hurt isn't what I'm afraid of. When…Zuko was a boy…a little younger than us…his father did that to him…" she said. She half expected to see the shock on Aangs face but it hurt to see it, to have to be reminded of what was…merely _excepted_ in her circles….why was she feeling so guilty about things around him? But she continued.

"That's why he's on a quest for you…" she said, "To get his honor back…" Aang stayed silent.

"It isn't my friends or…or even Azula being mad at me that's the worst of it for…thinking about things…the way you're saying…" she said.

Aang spoke now, "No…its...what being…banished means…isn't it?" Ty looked up shocked he had pegged it.

"Being abandoned or alone…" He went on, like a nail being driven by a hammers blow, ringing true each sentence.

"He doesn't want his father to turn his back on him again…" he said with a look of understanding as he stared into space a bit.

"And it's the same with you…" he said, another hammer blow,

"You don't want the last people you consider home to leave you…or turn their backs on you….."

"It would hurt more than if they burnt me alive…" Ty said trying to keep her voice steady. "I couldn't do that again….not again…"

Aang just looked at her a second before putting a hand on her shoulder soothingly,

"Ty Lee…" he said with a determined look, wanting her to look at him, she didn't want to…she was getting wobbly again like she had in the cave…..weak, as Azula would call it and it didn't feel good…..but it felt better then she had all those times alone, wondering about these questions she saw answers too.

"Ty Lee….it was your parents own mistake to give you up like that….." he said. Her breath became more shaky hearing that. "You aren't another girl…You aren't another face….and you don't have to jump around to be you…" he said putting both hands on her shoulders.

"It should be because it's you…not just to set you apart. People make bad decisions Ty Lee…I know I have….and I'm still paying for it…..and your parents whatever you think, made a terrible decision for not searching every camp site for you…" Ty Lee put her hands on his to move them but they didn't budge so she kept them there…liking it.

"If you were a sister-monk in my temple, I'd fly through that storm to try to find you again…" he said. That hit her like a rock from an earth bender.

"…Not if you knew what we did…" she said, thinking back to when they had burnt a village to prove a point, well Azula had, she watched and didn't do a thing.

"It's not you…" Aang said.

"No it is me…." Ty Lee argued, "I know you think I have this…chance for…flurishy moss but I don't! I can't risk that again." Her eyes were welling up again, great…

"You wouldn't have to be alone…" he said, "You could join us…." He said softly.

This gave her the gumption she needed to take his hands off "Are you crazy!" she asked. "Stand up to my friends, to the Fire Lords' will…and now….join you?" she said.

"Do you know what'll happen to me?" She protested.

"You'll be safe with us…" Aang said, "…you don't have to run from what you're feeling like I did."

"I'm not brave like Zuko, or his uncle or like you!" she said. "Sure I dive from tight ropes but I never could look Azula in the eye and disagree…on ANYTHING. You have this in your blood, your always concerned about other people and others well being, and how they feel…and how I feel…"

Aang walked to her a little, "Ty Lee you can!" he said.

**"NO, I'M NOT AS GOOD AS YOU!"** She said.

"ME? I'm not good!" Aang said clutching his chest, "I wouldn't even have to be risking my friends lives learning these elements if I hadn't run away!"

"Run?" Ty Lee said, "When did you ever run from your- "

"I DID!" Aang screamed almost, "That's why I don't look old…." He said shakily as her this time.

"That's why…they're all dead…." He said.

"Whose dead…." Ty Lee asked, dreading the answer she had probably guessed right.

"I stepped on her face…" Aang mumbled. "What?" Ty Lee asked confused, who was this HER he had mentioned before.

"I-I stepped on her…" Aang didn't continue.

"Her who?" Ty Lee asked.

"T-Tiaque." Aang said quivering in his voice. "S-she was like…..a…sister to me…" Aang said, "She wanted to grow up to make clouds write….good things every morning from sky writing…she asked me to…to teach her my tricks of gliding…she was always worried the other students would pick on her being small…I said I'd look after her…."

She could see his eyes were glassing up now too,

"When I finally came back…" he coughed, "I didn't even want to…still, I was still scared of becoming this…..the Avatar…..of doing what I'm doing now…100 years later and I was still scared!"

He sat back against the rock wall,

"When I- came back….to the temple…." He said. "They were…."

Ty Lee knew that her guess had been right and her heart sunk, she'd read about this, heard about this…heard it bragged about from soldiers claiming to be the grandsons of the men who did it…..but she was hearing it from a…chance survivor of it…..she wasn't ready to hear it over again…not like this…..not from him.

"All of them…." Aang said skipping ahead….. "Each and every one of them…all gone….I should've been there with them…they were all….bones….it looked like the field had yards of white branches….but it was them…their bones and skulls" he said letting a tear drop off his cheek.

"Then when I stepped back to back away from them….I heard something-…S-something c-crunch…"

He was crying now,

"I stepped on her face!" he said, "Tiaques….it was her…..I knew her by the way her tunic was tied up…it was her…..and I should've been there to pr-otect her and I stepped on her fa-"

Now he was crying as he slid down the mountain wall sitting.

Ty Lee felt her own face, it was wet with tears now too…what was she doing….even 100 years later…the campaign she'd supported for so long was the one dedicated to destroying him and those like him….and now she knew him…there was no reason why she should…at all. It chewed at her, but something in her broke seeing him cry there…him who had braved a huge Earth Kingdom Monster and risked his life to save hers, cry like she had done to herself in quite…but with him it was because of something she helped do...something she had once cheered for in anthem. She now knew why he'd had contempt for her when he'd flown off the handle the first time.

"I-I'm sorry…" she said…and found herself kneeling down and hugging Aang the same way he had hugged her. His sniffing stopped for a while at this, but put his arm around her gently, trying to stand again.

"No I'm sorry…" he said, we should "Finish building the-" She stopped him, "No…" she said.

"I'm sorry….for everything I said….for….." she couldn't believe she was saying it, "For what we did to you…it's just…..my friends…"

She looked at him in the eye, "When I'd said…you could be using me to your advantage…it was cause….that's…-sigh- what MY friends….did with me….I wouldn't of even been in Azula's band if I wasn't good at what I did..." She looked at her hands as she made them fists.

Aang took her hands, "Ty Lee you're not _Just _some girl….you're not just some face…you're not even just some sister…"

Ty Lee's gaze didn't pass from his as he continued, "You're an…..amazing…unique….strong, beautiful person….stronger then you think you are….and… I was definitely wrong when I said you weren't any different than them. You're not a reason the Fire Nation or your family should be ashamed….you're a reason they should be PROUD.….and…it's about time you started hearing that….from someone, every single day…cause it's the truth."

Ty Lee could feel a tear falling again, just one…but it was like the last grain of an hour glass, meaning what needed to get out of her like he'd said, had passed finally.

"And…if you're afraid of how your friends will intentionally tell you otherwise to make you scared of them…then they aren't true friends…you deserve better than that." He finished,

Her hands were on his, that had found their way to her shoulders again.

"I don't deserve a friend like you…" she said.

"You deserve one that's better…" Aang said.

"I don't think such a friend exists…" Ty Lee said smirking a bit. Aang scoffed at this, smiling that cute smile again.

Ty Lee smiled, then bit her lip realizing their closeness and cleared her throat. Aang did so to clearing his own, suddenly Ty's eyes lit up.

"Oh um…" she started, "Aang…"

Aang recovered fully from the awkwardness and asked, "Hmm?"

She sighed, "I wasn't….." she looked down, "Entirely truthful with you…" she said.

"What do you mean?" Aang said.

"The grabby-claw part of my flyer thing…wasn't all I found in the water…"

He looked at her still.

"Wedged in some rock…" she went on, "I found…your…..glidey thing…"

_"MY glider?"_ Aang said in shock and joy. She nodded, "I didn't want to tell you at first cause….well I didn't know if I showed you, you'd just use it to fly out of here without me…"

Aang opened his mouth to object but she beat him to it.

"I know I know…you wouldn't have….but that was before I knew…." Aang smiled, "Knew what?" he asked.

She smiled back, "That "_Just because_" is never an answer for anything…it's not why someone's good or bad, you have to look inside you and in others to know where things truly stand."

"You sure you not a philosopher yourself?" Aang teased.

Ty Lee rolled her eyes, then looked at the glider he'd made so far, it looked nearly finished.

"Well come on…" she said, "Let's get it." Aang hurriedly took her hand,

"If we hurry, we can get it before it's to dar-"

He was cut off by a wiz that sounded through the air like a fly then stopped as his sentence stopped. Ty stopped and looked at Aang.

"Aang?" she asked. She saw him take what looked like a dart out of the back of his neck before collapsing against her.

"AANG!" she said wide eyed, catching him. Just as soon as she did, a bag went over her head and she was yanked back by someone.


	10. Chapter 10

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

**_A Walk in a dream _**

Aang woke with a start, **"Ty Lee?" **he asked, **"Ty Lee….?"** He suddenly felt woozy…. **"Whoa…."** He said.

**"Where Am I?..."** his voice echoed, everything was so familiar…yet he felt…off…

**"Avatar Aang…"** Came the voice of Roku above him. He looked up to see Roku looking at him from atop a mountain.

**"Master Roku…"** Aang said bowing, **"Am I on a spirit walk again?"** he asked.

**"Yes…"** he replied hauntingly, **"But you must now focus our energy and chi…you will need it for the battle ahead…."**

Aang floated from one cloud to the other, **"Why do I feel so…loop-headed...yet I feel….more normal here then when I'm in the physical world..?"**

Roku did not reply, Aang sighed and then he saw something, it was Ty Lee…or what looked like her, then it faded away.

**"Ty Lee!"** he called out.

**"No…"** Avatar Roku called, **"It is not time Aang…it will come…."**

Aang heard murmuring that sounded like loud murmuring you'd hear at a pub or a tavern.

**"What's that noise?"** he asked straining his ears, it was around him.

**"You must hurry and come to terms…."** Roku said urgently, behind his glasses….wait glasses?

**"To terms with what?"** Aang said swaying to the side without meaning to like a tree, this was all very weird.

**"What you have in your heart…."** Roku said. **"It is strong….and will move you to do much in your walk as the Avatar…."**

**"What I feel in my heart…?"** Aang asked. He thought for a minute, **"I feel many things in my heart…."**

**"As do we all Aang…"** Roku said looking at the sky as if they were running out of time, **"But you must come to terms with the one that is most valid to you…"**

Aang looked on, **"I don't understand sir…"** he said. The glasses were off of his face now.

**"Sir?"** he asked, **"Is this really a spirit walk?...or am I actually just dreaming-"** he was cut off.

**"Aang…"** Roku said, **"You must clear yourself…as one clears a horn out to play the music that is in the mind of the musician, you must be clear….to be used in this next endeavor…"**

Aang scratched his head, **"Clear of what?"** suddenly the thought of Ty Lee… **"Oh…"** he said then he realized he already had. **"Wait!"** He said cheerily, **"I've already dumped my animosity for her, and the nation….I think…."** He said.

**"Yes…"** Roku agreed, again looking at the sky, **"But you must look at it from another perspective…"**

Aang was confused again. **"Deeper…" **he said, Aang still didn't understand, deeper then getting over what was done to him?

**"It involves your friends…"** Roku said. Aang looked up **"My friends?"** Aang said, **"You mean Katara and Toph and Sokka?"** Aang said.

**"Everything has crashed on you as a wave, and you must expel your emotions for you to complete the task at hand…"**

Aang thought about losing Appa…about what had happened with Katara…Katara…he realized that the whole time he was with Ty Lee, he had been able not to think about it…or how much it hurt….but still he needed to let her know he didn't hold it against her…that she shouldn't blame herself.

**"Wow…"** Aang admitted, **"I guess I never thought of it before….my thoughts on Katara mixed with everything else that's happened…it combusted inside me…that's why I raised my voice to Ty Lee…I wasn't very monk like…"**

Roku sped him along, obviously wanting to get to a point. **"Yet you found a way…to deal with it…without intentionally ignoring?..."**

Aang thought again, he HAD missed his friends…still did, but he couldn't deny something else was on his mind and heart…and he couldn't quite grasp what it was…it was as if, this need to free Ty Lee from herself, from her inner walls…was greater than getting down the mountain.

**"Is it…"** he wagered, **"That I needed to remember I need to help all the nations…not just the Earth and Water tribes…"**

Roku said nothing, Aang felt woozy again, but also knew within himself that wasn't what Roku was talking about…..at all…he knew. This new feeling…and the old one with Katara…they were related…

**"You must learn to live with this…."** Roku said. **"You must learn to accept….and disperse these two emotions…like the two brothers of air we breath out…and in. Acceptance…and dispersal…"** Suddenly thunder sounded, and it was all around him.

**"Like lightning…"** he mused almost to himself, Aang looked up hearing this.

_**"Lightning?"**_ Aang said surprised.

Suddenly, the buzzing and murmuring like that of a tavern was back and all around him, replacing the thunder.

**"Where are we?"** Aang asked grabbing his ears.

**"You must go…"** Roku said, Aang looked up at Roku again, **"Learn how to channel the mystery of your heart…in your heart….what to let go…and what to nurture…within you…"**

Aang looked confused, he liked to believe that Roku meant, channeling his emotion for the Fire Nation into something positive, as well as nurture his feelings for Katara…but at the same time….he knew it wasn't right. It was something else….it meant something else.

Thunder sounded again and the cloud, or rock that Aang was standing on began to shake, "What's going on?" Aang asked.

**"You have been put under by men who would betray you, your friend needs you…..conserve your energy and learn the power of life's relentlessness…"**

**"Life's relentless-? WAHHH"** Aang asked, then was cut off by Roku suddenly moving his hand like he was drawing a curtain sharply, making Aang fall, as if a rug had been pulled from under him as the rock he had been standing on disappeared along with the cloud that had covered it.

He fell down…down, not like in a dream or in the spirit real where it was very normal, but in fact…very REAL feeling and he yelled as he felt what he thought was real wind rushing against his clothes as he fell down, next to the huge mountain he guessed was the one they were stranded on.

Wait he'd been falling a very long time….was the mountain actually that tall? Was there a bottom-

_-SPLOOOOSH!-_

Aang fell in head over heels into a pool of merky water, cold, wet, and very real…or it felt so to him. Everything was off…it was spirit realm…yet not….yet…stranger, and the loopiness in his head wasn't stopping.

He treaded his legs in the water a little, coughing some, looking around to see where he was, it was a valley, not Wung Sho, but flat almost, with the except of other LARGE mountains scattered in the distance, almost seeming to tower like trees until they disappeared into the clouds.

Aang gazed up to look at the mountain he had just fallen from, its cap hidden from view, riveted by a heavy storm of pure lightning.

Ty Lee was still up there… **"TY LEE!"** He called up, knowing she could not hear him but calling anyway.

Suddenly he heard her voice say to him in an echo **"Aang?"**

**"Don't worry!"** Aang promised, **"I'll find a way to get back to you…"**

He had to think, was he in the spirit realm at all? He had to be…and who were these men Roku warned would betray him?...

Suddenly he heard a splash a little way down the river or pool or whatever body of water he was in, and saw what looked like a shape moving through the water.

He thought it at first to be a shape of the water as it moved by itself, but it was not as he hoped, something with a long scaly body was snaking through the water and disappeared back under the surface after revealing its smooth, long back.

Aangs' eyes grew, suddenly he felt something quickly pass underneath him, but he didn't want to turn around.  
Suddenly he felt water dripping on the back of his head as he knew something was slowly rising out of the water behind him.

He turned around slowly, **"A-are you a spirit?"** he asked nervously, he turned around and saw he was face to face… with a great…Eel-Seal.

Aang stared at it, it just gawked at him with its huge…unblinking eyes, its nose almost too Aangs, its long eel body arched in the air out of the water. He could see its pawed claws treading the water at its shoulders, which were still under water. He could also see the lines of its mouth, curl around is large face into a forced…almost smile behind its eyes even, it looked…creepy.

Finally it spoke.

**"No…"** Aang gave a double take.

**"…of course I'm a spirit!"** it said annoyed, **"What do you think?"**

Aang sighed in relief almost at the 11 foot long creature half out water staring at him.

_(James woods(voice of Hades in Disney's Hercules) is voice of spirit)._

**"Thank goodness…."** Aang said.

It just stared at him now, which again…was still creepy despite the fact he was a spirit…especially with the way it swayed its head ever so slightly.

**"Um…"** Aang said. **"I…need to know how to learn how to….use relentless life?"** he said.

**"Of course you do kid…"** The Eel said, **"And of course Roku sent ya to me…boy oh boy does he owe me.."**

**"So you're going to teach me?"** Aang said hopefully. The Eel looked at him with the side of his eye/face.

**"The Air Nomads didn't raise no idiots did they?"** he said in his sarcastic manner.

Aang tried to be more upright in the water and said, **"I'm ready…what am I learning…?"**

The Eel threw its head back, which was pretty far given its neck length and let out a laugh, _**"Ha ha ha ha ha.."**_

**"Don't even know what you're learning and you're up for the count…love that about you kid, you're going places…"**

He brought his head back with a somewhat larger and more intentional grin on his face which Aang found even creepier.

**"Well you better or the worlds doomed…"** he said quickly in an actual pleasant voice, snaking around Aang now, passing him by in the water.

**"Now your gonna have to keep this all in ya head alright kid? You can't actualy bend in the spirit world so your gonna have to remember how to do this when this'is all over...k?""**

Aang nodded.

**So! Relentless life…"** he started, lightning sounded but it didn't seem to faze him. **"It's a term used for many things…"** he admitted.

**"But what I'm gonna teach ya…."** He said… **"Is a bit more of a drastic route that's a bit more close to home from my neighborhood…."**

He said as if he was getting ready to say something major, he rose his body again out of the water and suddenly opened his mouth wide and let out a BOLT of lightning from its throat, into a rock on the bank of the river.

**"Lighting is relentless life?"** Aang said in surprise, the spirit smirked, **"Your catching on kid…it flows through all of us…us eels just channel it better…"**

Aang looked at the creatures body…now that he thought about it, there was a slight humming noise coming off of its skin it sounded like.

**"I hear it…"** Aang said. **"That's right kid…a living conductor…we all are…you can channel it too you know…"** the Eel said looking back at him grinning.

**"Don't I have to learn fire first?..."** Aang said nervously.

The spirit grinned again, **"For bending it yeah…but your just channeling it…learning to accept it go through your body…"**

Aang remembered Roku's words.

**"Accept and nurture…"** he said.

**"That's it…"** the Eel said, **"Thing is you can only nurture it for a time…you gotta let it out sooner or later…"**

Aang smiled to himself, Letting out his feelings…his emotions, like lightning, he'd let out to strongly that had a crush on Katara, he'd let out his emotions to rashly at Ty Lee….he had to use temperance, and channel them…like this lightning…

The dragon like creature raised its head again ominously and looked towards the bank… the murmuring Aang had heards started again, and he could hear thunder, LOUDER than it had been though.

**"Mr….."** Aang started. **"Call me _Bushu_ kid…"** the Eel said and put on short paw on the bank of the river, attempting with grace to climb out. **"You gotta learn to channel it kid…"** he echoed.

**"We don't have much time left kid…focus that chi."**

Aang did so as he knew you could do from the spirit world, whoever these…men were…Fire Nation or no, he knew he had to save his friend, that was certain, he had to release his…relentless life to her….to Katara…to everyone.


	11. Chapter 11

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Ghosts of the Mountain _

**"Aang!"** Ty Lee shrieked as a bag went over her head. She felt two gruff hands grab her shoulders in an attempt to put her arms behind her back. She did a forwards flip flair, kicking the man, whoever it was in the jaw on the way up. Landing on her feet, she ripped the bag from her head to see a large balded man holding his jaw as red dripped down it a little. He was in a sleeveless greenish grey tunic, one with a symbol of what looked like a skull of the creature they had seen when they first crashed on the mountain. She moved her head to the side just in time to by chance miss a dart headed for her face, she felt it graze her cheek and she turned around, seeing a man in a hood covering his face coming more from behind a rock. His cloth was grayish green too, matching the rock of the canyon walls, and also had a symbol of a creature scull embroidered on it. He had a blow dart looking tube raised to his lips and she did a back flip bending backwards into it as she watched another dart sail over her past her face.

She landed skillfully on her hands then sprang off of them as someone tried to sweep them from underneath her. She was on her feet now, crouched atop a rock, getting a better view of who was attacking them.

She only got a little time to do this for she saw a man severely pissed at being kicked in the jaw, a hooded figure who threw down his dart gun in frustration, and several other hooded, or ragged men that seemed to appear out of nowhere, among them and a fit looking man in what looked like rags also, high kicking and stomping the ground as he approached from the side. He was doing an earth bending kata set.

Sure enough he sprung off his legs and kicked, sending a slab of rock her way, she picked her feet up and made her body straight with her arms and feet out as the rock soared underneath her. She spun in the air to land on her hands and toes like a crab, as a second rock sped over her head this time. Suddenly she heard another growl from above her and she spun out of the way in time for a rock to streak by her shoulder and land on the ground she'd been standing on, denting it from its force. They were all around her, camouflaged and bending with a mountain worth of element to use against her, she had to get away…

Well a good defense is a quick offense, as Chip always had told her… she ran at the man that was just now recovering from his eyes being watered. He growled at her seeing her approach, and swung his broad muscle toned arms at her in a savage jab, which she side stepped mid charge, grabbed onto, and polted herself over, sending her sailing over his head. As she flipped all the way over, she clapped the flat bottom of her foot on his face where his nose was making him grab his face again howling, she kicked off of his back on the other side of him, sending him into the path of a rock slab heading her way, breaking the impact for her. She rolled out of the leap and took off running again.

**"After her!"** The one in the hood shouted, pointing. She dodged several other rock slabs, all the while looking for Aang, he was nowhere in sight. **"Aang where are you!"** She called out, landing on a boulder high up above their heads. She dodged another slab of earth, **"AANG!"** she called, **"CAN YOU HEAR ME?"** nothing, suddenly she felt a whip hit her arm and she recoiled. It had only JUST grazed her, but it still stung.

She flipped off of the rock, and saw a limber looking earth bender, a bit taller than her…a few years older by some, with long hair reaching his shoulders, and a goatee. His lips were in a cruel smile and he lashed his whip again over his head. She glared at him narrowing her eyes, and waited, this was JUST like in the circus with her and Chip…only in this one the ring master meant to kill or mame her…had help, and knew the act…she didn't.

With another _–SLASH-_ the whip sliced through the air, landing on the rock she had been on, splitting it…..great…he used earth bending with his whip…

The others were attempting to get to the higher ground she and he were on, trying to cut off her escape.

She jumped to the left, faked him out…she thought and lunged to the right in an aerial spin that should have taken her without encumbrances to the next level of rocks, but surprisingly it lashed in mid air and cut into the cloth of her tunic, exposing her shoulder and leaving a welt she recoiled from.

**"AGH!"** She screamed, and reached out, grabbing a tree branch, or root that had been sticking out of the rock wall above her, she held on fast and swung herself onto it, she felt another slash near her hip and back side from the whip, missing it but taking off the remainder of her back sash.

She glared at t the young man with the whip, he winked at her twirling the whip back to his arm with the torn piece of her sash at the end. He plucked it off the tip of his whip head and stuffed it in his belt like a keep sake, grinning still at her, she wanted to Puke. He spun his whip over his head again but she had guessed that it was a distraction and was expecting another move.

She jumped off the branch in a mid air split to avoid another rock slab to her legs from the side, then still keeping her balance perfectly on the branch, bent back to avoid the whips lashing…but it again was close….UGH she wanted to break every bone in his purvey face….but now she had to be alert. Ready for another….

**_-BOOM- _**Suddenly another member of their group popped out of the rock wall she was next too like a badger mole, grabbing her waist as he dove downwards, meaning to break his fall with her. Remembering how Aang had acted mid air in the face of her claw flyer, she spun herself around in his arms so she was facing him now, clapped his ears, then planted her feet on his shoulders once he released her from pain. She kicked off of the shoulders of the man right before he hit the ground, breaking his fall with his chin with an _OOF_. She landed on an unsteady ledge of the opposite wall, and again jumped off as it was shattered by another LASH of that blasted whip. But she had jumped upwards and was now making her way towards the pool of water she'd discovered. She saw another "mole-man" pop out of the rock wall behind her, so thats how they kept appearing out of no-where...she tapped the knife her and Aang had found behind her belt...she may have to need it after all...

* * *

Attackers POV

The men growled chasing after her, they had the boy safely away, they thought since they'd taken care of the bender, the none bender wouldn't be any trouble. But she was jumpier then a rabbit-squirrel, and three times as quick.

Larce lashed his whip again, at least he was getting somewhere with her…he had called dibs on her anyway when he saw her swimming. But not it seemed like she wasn't having as much trouble as she had dodging him….but still her edge was off…and she couldn't lose them…not here….

She bounded at incredible speed from rock to rock, sometimes off her hands, or just one foot, they did their best to chase after her, using bending to climb, and crawl after her, as well as slow her down by raising up barriers, but she just found a way around it…over it or through it…

Final they came to a high portion of one of the rock spires, where a ledge was…overlooking quite a drop, but on the other side of the divide, was where the pool of water was she had been in before.  
They had little worry she could make the jump, even for her… there was no way she could do it in a back flip… Larce bounded again onto her ledge and lashed his whip again, she backed away…not out of fear, but just that she was daring him to do it again or she'd fall of the edge…she knew they wanted her alive.

Larce just smiled back in his cruel way and twitched his finger on his whip….Ruok growled impatiently and sent a rock slab at the girl, **"NO"** his hooded comrade yelled but it was too late, she lifted her knee's up to her chest so the rock went under her, sent both feet back down on it, then let it carry her across the void between the two ledges, then when it had lost its' momentum, she kicked off of it… sending her directly over the pool as she felt, getting ready to dive.

Larce growled and sliced his whip again, aggravated at Rouk had just give her a way to make the distance across the precipice by his impatience.

Fortunately the whip was mid air, and flawlessly looped around her leg as she twirled…then suddenly, right before it went taught, she turned without warning and sliced it in mid air….with the Generals' Ransom antique knife?_…..How did she get that?_

She winked back at Larce who stood on the opposite side in disbelief, before falling in the pool in a perfect dive. He turned back to his comrades, **"COME ON!**" he growled fiercely, lashing his whip again, and used Earth bending to make a bridge as best he could until some friends of his helped him making it more secure with their own bending. They reached the other side just in time to see her shaking the water out of her hair…with a stick in hand…it was long…oddly designed….and looked a bit bent, but it also looked hard.

Didn't matter, they had REAL weapons.

She ran again and ducked the rocks they threw at her, and made around a bend of a corner….foolish girl…there was a dead end there. They had her now…no one escaped the Chi-Ko Rah.

She was there alright, looking out over the abyss….they all stopped when they saw her, **"Come on…**.Rouk said, **"There's no were to run…."** Pat was holding his nose and face, growling in pain at her as he breathed.

She looked them all, then smiled at them…glaring and tipped over…. **"NO!"** Larce and a few others said. But before they could earth bend a barrier for her, or latch her with their already nubbed whip… she had already disappeared with her stick….bellow the clouds….

**"Damn…"** Larce said… Rouk scratched his head, **"Stupid girl…."** He huffed, he was hit across the head by Larce, who was much smaller than Rouk. **"YOU'RE the idiot Rouk…"** he said angrily… **"She was a looker…probably would have got us double…"** They began to turn back.

* * *

Ty's POV

Meanwhile bellow them, Ty had already used the glider of Aangs' to flutter down like a parachute to catch some of the wind as she floated down out of sight of the benders and attackers.

She was now hanging on to a ledge with one hand, with the open glider in the other. Hoping that the men would give up the chase believing her to have killed herself then rather be in their hands….which wasn't that far from the truth with the exception she had to save Aang at the end of all of this…wherever he was….

**"She would've gotten us at least double…"** came a voice of the long haired young one with the whip. So…they were slavers apparently.

**"Aww you just wanted her for yourself…."** Another one said above her, she grumbled to herself, thinking _"EWWWW"_ at the thought.

She heard a smack that apparently meant the whip toting purve had hit the speaker of the last accusation.

She heard someone say, **"Well at least we got that bald kid…."** Her eyes enlarged.

**"Yeah…"** she strained as the voices got more distant, **"…..I recognize his tattoo-…."** They were now out of range, she could no longer hear them.

She glared down at the glider in her right hand, then back at the clouds as she hung on by her left to the ledge…she was going to get Aang back….she didn't care how many of those guys were up here….besides…it was her duty to "Find" and "Secure" the avatar….right?


	12. Chapter 12

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Hall of Mountain Ghosts_

The band of men carried their prisoner to their lair in the rock bunker. It looked just like a boulder to the untrained eye, but living on that mountain for several years had helped them learn the routes and tells of it like they knew their own tattoos.

The head bender in front of them in the hood, named Ka-Ni, put his arms up and made the whole thing roll in on itself, revealing a hole in the rock wall. Behind it was a tunnel leading down, and they all went inside.

"So why aren't we putting him with the rest of the stock?" the on carrying him asked.

"We must bring him before Feihzu." Ka-Ni said. "Cause of those tattoo's?" one of the men asked. "They like water tribe tat's…? I saw him bending water…that one night in the rain."

"No must have been wet earth, he used mud to trap that Echidna." Another said. "Something about him's freaky…" The one carrying him said.

From the shadows of the tunnel they were going down they saw Larce, Pat, and another member, face covered by their greenish grey hood. "It's about time…" Larce said.

"We were bringing back the objects the jumpy girl and this guy were working on..." the one carrying the boy said. Behind them were their colleagues who were carrying the wooden shafts , wings, and claw like device the children were building. Ka-Ni looked at Pat holding a piece of cloth to his nose, it was brown with dried blood. "What happened to you?" Ka-Ni asked.

"That freaky jumpy girl." Pat growled. Larce smirked, "Terrible waist of a good looking girl…"

The one in the hood grumbled, "If you were less focused on her, and more focused on CATCHING her, maybe she wouldn't have got away…"

Larce barked back, "Maybe if you didn't bend her a disk to get across on…"

"Rouk…Larce…enough…" Ka-Ni said.

"Whoa…" said Larce "….he's glowing…Kids glowing…!"

They all focused their attention to the boy who although was unconscious still, was glowing a low blue, and humming in a way.

"Those tattoos are glowing!" one of them said putting his hands up ready to bend a rock at him.  
"EASY!" the one carrying him exclaimed, "I'm still holding him!"

"CALM down…" Ka-Ni glared at them all and the light from the boys head glowed on his face making his scared features more intimidating.  
"We report this to Feihzu…keep him under…as soon as we get inside."

They all continued down the tunnel leading down, all more carefully now though, their eyes never leaving the boy as he hummed and glowed.

The rock slammed behind them as they made the bend, and once again it looked like part of the rock wall.

"Great…" Ty Lee said from behind her secluded boulder. "Now how am I supposed to get in…" she kicked some dust.

Suddenly she heard an odd bleat, that sounded fairly familiar…

Bellow, Toph, Sokka and Katara had made it to foot of an odd looking mountain that spired straight up.

"This is where Aang is?" Sokka asked.

Mo-Mo flew from it to another part of the mountain, "Well…" Toph said, "Should we start hiking?"

Katara followed Momo's movements… "Ahhh…." She said upset.

"What…" Toph asked, "Not a hiker?" she said folding her arms. Katara groaned,

"No…that….she said pointing to where Momo was flying.."

They all looked in that direction except for Toph who waited for someone to tell her what she was looking at.

Before them was a score of like mountains, shooting up into the clouds, among them was a gigantic one, piercing the sky, and Momo was flying in a circle from them to its direction.

"What?" Toph said. "It's gonna be more than just a hike…" Sokka said.

0

Ty Lee followed the bleating, and tip toed carefully for fear of being noticed by an unseen guard or such. Ducking behind a corner, she peered around and saw a guard or…slaver scout or something chasing a creature down the misty path.

It was the little Sheep-goat…bore..thing…the one that had taddled on her to its mother that had almost given her a sore seat. Only now, it was being chased by a…slaver person with a fork pronged spear.

It had it up against the wall, and it was shaking fearfully up at the slaver. "Come on…." He said, "Time to meet ya mommy…"

Suddenly he fell over on his face, almost on the creature, and was knocked unconscious, behind him was Ty Lee who had just given him the pokes to his sides and face that cut off his feeling completely. The hooked spear fell at his side with a clang.

She looked at the sheep-bore or whatever it was, and glared, "I should'a let you get speared…" she said.

"But I need the costume…" she said picking the man up by clothes. The creature began bleating up at her excitedly.

"What?" she said. "Keep it down! You want us both to get caught?" she said angrily, "I'll kick you and mean it…" she said in a hushed hiss. Putting the hood on her back, the creature got up on its skinny legs again and began trotting away.

"Ugh fine good riddance…" she said, then remembered the words of the hunter, "Time to join ya mommy…"

"Oh…" she said, "Sorry…" she called after the calf-let. Suddenly she heard its footsteps returning to her in the mist, then saw it trotting back to her with excited eyes.

She looked down at it and put her fingers to her lips, "SHHHH" she said, "That doesn't mean I want you getting me found out.."

It bleated at her again and bit onto the cloth of her pant leg, "HEY" she said angrily, but before she could brush it away, it let go and ran again towards the mist, "I said I was sorry!" she said.

But again, it returned and looked up anxiously at her, she raised her eye brow realizing the pattern. "What is it?" she asked.

It began running from her back to the mist again… "You…" she started, "Want me to follow you?..." she said.

It bleated again and ran back to her, "Not now…" she said, "I have a friend I need to rescue…" it ran back into the mist.

She sighed and followed it as it went out of sight, it _"Baaaah'd"_ again even though she couldn't see it, and she tucked the hood around her face tightly, covering her mouth, and pulling the cape portion around herself.

Suddenly she heard the trotting get closer, it walked right up to her in sight again, in its mouth was a piece of cloth, from her back sash.

"Ugh…" she said, "I don't need it back…it's okay…" she said. Then she realized it was from the piece that the purvey slaver had _whipped_ off of her. He had tucked it in her belt she remembered…how did he get it off of him?...

"Did you snatch it off of that guy?" she asked. It just kept looking up at her with its big eyes, it _"Baaaah'd"_ at her again, she made a flinging motion with her arm, like a whip being swung, and it bleated even more excitedly at her, "Can you take me to him?" she asked. The sheep-let _"Baah'd"_ in a way she was sure was affirmative and began running through the mist again, this time she ran after it.

The present time

The Guard outside the boys room used rock bending to look in the cell they'd made for him, sure enough, there he was, in the box they had specially crafted for earth bending prisoners, it had been a storage box made of thick wood. They had cut out a hole in the mountain rock to put it in, and then secured the prisoners with ropes. The boy hung there, head down, by his arms both out from the ropes that that were around his wrists and leading to either wall of the box. His knee's were touching the ground, and the tattoo's on his head and wrist continued to glow.

He checked the bowl of Spice rion erbs. They _had_ been planning to use those erbs themselves...smoke them, while the rest got sold when they journeyed down the mountain, BUT Feizhu had said that this was apparently a boy worth more to them then what they would make off of selling the opius drug. Of course to keep him this way, they had to keep him sedated, and sence they could not constantly shoot him with darts, steaming the room with burnt Spice Rion was the course of action they chose.

After making sure that the boy was still unconscious, he began bending the rock door back up. _"...are you a spiri-..." _the mumbled suddenly, he bent the door back to check, he was sleep talking...still, it might be best to keep a crack open too look at him, glowing light that wasn't making the argument he wasn't a spirit any stronger.

Ty Lee followed the sheep-lete to the foot of a rock wall, and looked at her expectantly. She studied the wall, seeing no visible entrance, but did notice that some moss hadn't grown over the part the little animal was next too. Problem was she couldn't bend, most likely it didn't know that.

"Thanks..." she said. "But I'm sorry...I can't move rocks..." she petted it stubbled fleece, suddenly she heard movement inside, she crept up to the door as the creature shrank away, she put her ear to it and could hear voices coming closer. Looking around, there was nowhere to run, and she knew they were coming towards her, she quickly put the creature over her shoulder after snatching it up, and whispered to it, "Bleet...and we're both dinner...SHHH!" in a hushed tone, and held the glider staff like a spear.

The door opened and two guards stood there, they peered out in the mist at her, she hoped it secluded her enough as she pulled her hood more over her face.

"It's about time!..." one of them barked. She quickly strode in trying to be as gruff in her manner as she could, thankfully the calf-let didn't move but continued playing possum-bear.

It was dimly lit inside the tunnel, from somewhere ahead that the two men were walking towards. She carefully put the calf-let down, and pretended to fall over, quickly the creature ran outside as she hit it on its flank. "That's for chewing my sash" she thought.

It "Baaa'd" as it ran outside, and she lay there motionless. "What the...?" one of the guards said. "Boto!" the other one said, so the guard she'd taken out outside and was boto. They both ran up to her while the other one made towards the opening. The one looking towards the opening said, "Darn it Boto!" angrily, slamming the rock door shut with a sound of rolling rock. "There goes our dinner..." The other accomplice was kneeling to pick her up, she quickly without warning spun off of her hands, pushing off the ground and collided into both their heads with her feet. They both went back and hit the walls of the tunnel, one was knocked out with a thud, the other just held his should and cried out "AA-" but she was too quick for him to finish the outcry, she had already covered his mouth and began applying pressure point punches to his shoulder, collar bone, and chest. He fell limp to the ground as her last punch knocked the man unconscious, she lowered him down to the ground so that he wouldn't thud like the other had and make noise.

The one she'd just taken out with one kick had on a scarf that he wore around his face, hiding his mouth and nose. On it were the designs of a toothy grin of a skull, they were very death oriented...she thought as she looked at the pattern of skulls on their cloaks, and hers. She took off the scarf and tied it around her face in a mask, revealing only her eyes, and kept her hood down. Her hair she had already fashioned to be hidden away, and tucked down the back of her tunic. She looked at the opening that _had_ been there, and could hear a bleeting outside. She put her head against it, and called, "It's not safe to take you the rest of the way..." she said, "You'll get me found out, thanks for bringing me, but unless you want to be dinner you'd better stay out there...I couldn't open the door if i wanted to anyway..." she sighed as the bleeting continued, but determined she turned around and tightened her mask and hood.

Aboard the Fire Nation Air machine, Azula was sipping Tea...there was a knock at her door, "Who is it..." she said, keeping her eyes shut. "Who do you think, its Mai?..." came the casual board voice.

She sighed, "Come in..." she didn't open her eyes though as she kept sipping the tea, taking in its fragrance. She heard the door open the clang shut softly as was its function and footsteps shuffle to the pillow in front of her, then the sound of someone sitting opposite her.

"Did you have one more _"Get up and leave"_ demonstration you wanted to pull on me before you went to bed?" she asked opening her eyes.

Mai looked at her with upset eyes, just a tad more annoyed than usual, which was usually reserved for Zuko, but that was when he got her really mad. Azula put the tea down, "I'm sorry about Ty.." she said.

"No you aren't..." Mai said flatly. "It was a difficult decision..." Azula said narrowing her eyes, "..We'll be over the town in half a days time or less, then we can acquire where-" she was cut off.

"Are you listening to yourself?" Mai said, "You care more about catching the Avatar who MIGHT be in Wung Sho, then about our friend who may be dying up there."

"You know as well as I do that Ty Isn't coming back Mai..." she said not looking away from her eyes, and for a second she saw a spark in them she hadn't seen before, and it wasn't from the good kind of surprise.

"Now we either push on and her death mean something...or we go off to search for a body and we have nothing but failure to bring back."

"You're just guilty because catching the Avatar by the skies was your ideas, and it was you who allowed Ty Lee to go up in one of those things...she isn't trained like the actual pilots are!" Mai said keeping her voice even, even though it was clearly infuriated.

"Ty catches on fast to things, you and I both know that...I didn't know she going to pull back from the rest of the group." Azula said,

"Maybe she was too scared to come back to you empty handed...maybe she didn't want to return with failure..." Mai said still burrowing into Azula with her eyes.

"Don't try to put this on me because there was nothing either of us could do about it..." Azula said glaring back, and putting her cup down. The Tea inside was steaming higher as she held it, then cooled down when she let go of it.

"We could of tried-" Mai began.

"And what?" Azula said, "Get killed trying to find them in that storm?"

"NO!" Mai said, almost having a raised voice, "Get killed trying to find HER in that storm."

Azula glared, "Ty Lee would've gone in that storm to get you back..." Mai said. Azula just bit her tongue in her mouth, trying not to boom at her. "I thought, that because it was her...maybe you would've-"

"I DID!" Azula said standing and letting the tea spill from the momentum of her sitting up. Mai backed away from the hot substance spreading throughout the floor. Azula stood there, not caring, "When I came in that night with wet clothes it wasn't from standing out on the railing to get a feel for the weather..."

Mai blinked, "You looked for her?"

Azula bunched her hands into fists, "I didn't go INTO the storm...just close enough to see how bad it was..." she said. "No one could survive something that monstrous...except him..." she said through her teeth, she shook her head from the memory. I flew the glider back into the hanger before it was missed, i gave the the maintenance guard the night off.

"Why didn't you inform the crew, why didn't you tell ME you thought she was dead?"

"BECAUSE IT DIDN'T MATTER AT THAT POINT DID IT?" Azula said. Mai stepped back again, off her edge...like she should be when speaking to her.

Azula knew why it mattered...it WOULD have meant that it was her fault...going further in wouldn't endanger her as much as make it more blatant Ty Lee wasn't going to live through being inside that lighting ball. And it would be because for that glimmer of a moment...her judgment had sided with making the choice her Father would've made...but she wanted to make that choice...she just remembered how her father would have done the same...she thought just like him...she'd been noticing that as she grew older, now she did it without trying...not once...even in the attacking of her uncle or brother...had it cost her, till now...thinking like her Father...no...thinking for herself...she had doomed Ty Lee...and it was all because of that balded, pathetic excuse for a being...supernatural or no. And she would bring back his tattooed hide back to the Fire Nation if she had to skin him to do it.

"This is all over that...AVATAR..." She hissed, "And I'll bring him back for what he's cost us even if it breaks me..." she said finally.

Azula subtly studied Mai, and her face shifting from the upset and now frightened state it had been in, to more of a look of realization. Realizing that she would never understand how Azula worked, which was for the best...it was better no one knew how she functioned, so she could remain untouchable...invincible.

Azula examined her further, nad saw from the understanding on her face that she had bought her pitch.

Azula had in fact not gone out to look for Ty Lee with a glider, she'd thought about it, wished she had in the back of her mind, but hadn't. All she had done was fly out far enough to get wet so she could have the story to come back with and use as a later date, she didn't want Mai against her in this, it was to annoying. And now Mai thought she wanted the Avatar as penance for what she did...perfect.

"Azula..." Mai said in an apologetic manner, "GET OUT!" Azula yelled and the candles in her room jetted upwards in flame, and Mai shrunk back, then exited the room. "AND TELL THE GUARD TO GET SOMEONE TO COME IN HERE AND CLEAN THIS RUG!" she barked.

The leader of the Mountain Ghosts, "_Feihzu"_ sat in his den with the skull of an Sabertoothed Echidna as a candle stand, lighting his desk, by which he finished reading a scroll of history. "Call everyone into the dining hall..." he said gruffly, his white beard, braded with gold brade rings glistened in the light of the candle. The hooded man in his study bowed and excited.

In the dining hall, now filled, Feihzu stepped out of the shadows and everyone sat up from their chairs or turned their attention. He stood there like a rock, glaring with a green and pale green eye, the pale green on from a snake bite was called his ghost eye from how it looked see through almost, thats where he got his name, Feizhu or Ghosteye.

"Gentlemen.." he said gruffly, "We have in capturing this one boy...made our fortune of a life time..." he said. They all looked at him in expectation.

"I'm sure some of you have wondered why some of you account to him bending Earth...yet some say he bent the rain as it fell..." he said. They all murmured their admittance to it.

"I hope some of you are smart enough to guess..." he went on, "That WE have in our holding, the Avatar..." he showed them the scroll he had been looking over, "The rumors are true...The Avatar yet again walks the Earth, and fate has brought him, GIFT wrapt to our door..."

There was a buzz of exclamations from the men of "I knew it." And "It can't' really be that simple" and even a "Wow" He put his hand up. The long table of men stopped chattering. "Our shipment of spices and young ones has already made for the Wung Sho Valley..." he declared, "There they will wait for our arrival before they make their way to the river way by which we ship the slaves into unchecked waters... when we descend, we will take one of their ships and and ransom him to the Fire Nation under the guise of the Soldiers we felled..."

Ka-Ni smiled which he rarely did, making his crescent scar move as he did. "They will pay us as they would pay a royal bargain...to a pack of thieves in the mountain...the Earth Kingdom will be incriminated for the Dai Li to clean up later, whilst we remain in our hide away here and none will be the wiser..." Feihzu said.

Bellow them, in the lower levels where they lept the prisoners, Ty Lee was creeping along quickly, she had already pressure point shocked 7 guards and a passer by who wasn't guarding anything. She'd finally found the prison level by following the stream of water that went down from a fountain in one of the hallways, like the fire nation she guessed it went down to the prison to provide a way for the slaves to drink...cruel but effective. She didn't want her luck to run out, and even worse, when one of them began to come to too raise the alarm so she had to move fast. She saw no one on this prison level, she guessed they only spared them when they had more than one prisoner. She noticed at the end of the hall there was a slight glow around the corner, not that of a orange flame like the torches she'd passed by in coming down here, but light blue, Aang...

She saw one guard as she peeked around the corner, sure enough the blue light was emanating and humming low from a view hole the guard had made in the door with rock bending she guessed. Why wasn't he bending his way out of there? Oh no! What if he was hurt. "Alright..." he was saying, "Drug dish is about Empty...lets change you out...terrible waste of good plant though.." he said. He then produced a bag that was over his shoulder and stepped back like he was going to Earth bend the door, then he stopped, looked both ways and sniffed some of the bag...that was odd.

She noticed an odd smell in the air and brushed it off readying herself. She took the glider in her hand, and struck the wall as hard as she could. It made a noise, and soon she could hear a, "Hello? Is that you Runa?" then footsteps approaching. As soon as he came around the corner she struck him in his solar plexus as hard as she could with her fist then upper-cutted him with her other fist. He went back, and she launched into him with a side kick sending him into the rock wall spinning, as she had hoped he hit the wall with his head and was knocked out without a sound.

She ran to the rock door with the hole in it, "Aang?" she asked quietly as she could. She couldn't actually get high enough to look in the view hole, the man had been tall she'd forgotten.

After dragging the man over to the door, and standing on him on her toes, she could now look into the room. It was wooden and Aang was tied up with rope from either side of the wall. He was groaning a little, more like one would in his sleep. _"You mean..?..."_ Aang mumbled. "AANG!" she said excitedly. "AANG!" Suddenly he awoke as his Avatar state faded out, he blinked his eyes a little grogily then looked almost awake.

"Ty Lee?" he said looking up at her, "Where are you...are you in danger?" that was a funny thing to say for someone who was in a dungeon and tied up. "You're alright?" she asked before looking to the side to make sure no one was coming. Aang looked at his confines, "I dont know..." Aang said, "I had an odd spirit walk..." he said a little confused...

"Well can you bend your way out of here?" she asked. "I can't earth bend the door down..." Aang looked around him, "Wood...great..." he said.."

"Maybe the guy I knocked out has the key!" Ty Lee said excitedly. She got down off of him and found a small wooden shaft of wood, carved in a certain fashion, she guessed that was it. "Can you earth bend the rock door?" she asked.

Aang breathed in "I'll try..." he said, he closed his eyes and focused.. Suddenly the rock wall shrunk down into the ground like a curtain falling, crumbling into rubble. "Great!" Ty Lee said, and was now looking at the wooden bars of the box opening. She stuck the key into the hole on the side and turned as hard as she could, it clicked finally, and she was able to open it.

She went inside and hugged him, He was surprised and hugged back as well he could with restricted arms...even though he was tied up...he liked it...allot, and shut his eyes.  
"OH right..." she said, and cut his ropes. "Thanks.." Aang said. He looked around as they got up and left the box cell,

"Where are we? How'd you get out...and what are you wearing?" he said noticing her wardrobe. She whispered to him in return,

"We're in some kind of out post...looks like it used to be military..." she said. "The earth kingdom's behind this?" Aang asked hushed and surprised.

"No..." Ty Lee said, "I think they're slavers, using the outpost to hide out in...that way they can bend into the mountain with their hostages without fear of being pursued up here, then probably sell them someplace else."

Aang surveyed the cell's, "This is horrible..." Aang said looking at a stuffed animal that was in one of the cells without an owner.

"We need to bring this place down.." Aang said.

"Are you crazy?" Ty Lee said, "We'll be caught again, I don't know how long the guys I took out will stay unconscious, let's go while we can and get off this mountain!"

She knelt down to the guard and took off his robe, it was black, and so was his tunic, the cape he wore to shroud himself with was of course camouflaged greenish grey to resemble the mountain outer wall.

Aang took the tunic, "Ty Lee..." he said, "Those slaves had families...ones they didn't want to leave _their_ homes..." he said putting a hand on her shoulder, "What if it was your sisters?" Ty Lee stopped moving.

She sighed still looking down at the unconscious man, "What are we going to do?" she asked, "Theres like 50 of them probably...Who knows how many more are in this whole mountain?"

Aang looked around, "I don't know..." Aang said, "Improvise I guess?" he put on the tunic over his costume and saw how awkward it looked.

"Excuse me..." he said and turned around to take the black tunic top as well as his own off. She looked at his..toned tattoo'd back and bit her lip a bit. The moment was over and he quickly put the black one back on.

He then wrapped the cape around him, and adjusted the hood, "How do I look?" he asked smiling. She giggled, "Notorious..." she said shushed. "Thanks Ty Lee..." Aang said, "For going back for me..."

"Hey my jobs to find and secure the Avatar..." she said like she had before, his face changed again for the sadder. She smiled though finishing the rest, "And...I don't leave friends behind either..." she said. "Even if I don't deserve them..."

Aang smiled now at her.

"OH!" She said suddenly, "I almost forgot I brought you something..." she said and ran back to get the air bending staff.

"Here!" She said presenting it with a big grin. Aang's eyes lit up, "How'd you get this?" Aang asked.

"Well..." Ty Lee said looking at the ceiling, but was cut off by a hug from Aang, she blushed and hugged him back. "Come on..." Aang said, "The guards'll be around to see why their friends haven't reported or something..."

She nodded securing her own costume and followed him as he ran down the hall of the prison area to the stairs.

Aang and Ty Lee were now on the upper level of the cavern like fortress, they had already brung the few guards she had knocked out back down to the prison level and stuffed them into the wooden box, and trapped them in the cells. Now they were wandering around hoping to find a way out that didn't bring them past where they had seen more sentries walking about, it wouldn't be long before they were seen looking around and an alarm went out, they had to beat that clock..find a window or something.

Aang stopped them for a minute, "What?" Ty Lee said.

Aang spoke up quietly, "If this is a mountain hall, they need a place for air to get in, we'll use that...and if the air up here is so thin, they'll need to breath regularly normal to stay up here...there has to be holes or openings leading up to this part of the mountain from where the air isn't as thin."

"You mean from the base of the mountain?" Ty Lee said, Aang nodded, "I'm talking about a way off this mountain.." he said grinning.

She smiled then heard someone coming. She and Aang both backed up against the wall, a slaver walked down the hall, "Ripa is that you? Feihzu's got news...You and the rest of you clowns better not be smoking tha-"

He didn't finished for he was sucked by an air vacuumed around the corner where Aang and Ty Lee was, there were several punches heard, then a flump, then Aang came from around the corner and stood guard.

He waited patiently, finally she came from around the corner wearing the man's tunic, it fit her better than the one she had on. A bit snug but...worked, with the cape covering it wasn't that noticeable, plus it was dry. It was black like his, and she had on black cuffs now that the man had been wearing, the foot ware was comfortable enough, again, dry in comparison to the things she had on when she dove in the water to get the glider thing.

She spun around in the costume, "Whatta ya think?" she asked petitely, then grinned widely at him dropping a curtsy. He laughed a little and scratched the back of his head blushing even though he ws trying to use his elbow to hide it, "Nice..." he said.

Suddenly he stopped, "What?" she asked, he sniffed the air, "Is it the way out?" she asked.

"No..." Aang said, "Food..." her eyes lit up, they had only been feeding on berries the whole time they were up here. "..But there's breeze..." Aang went on, "That Breeze is carrying the food smell to us...we follow it, we find where it's coming from..." Aang said.

"Sounds like a plan.." Ty Lee said holding her stomach.

They crept through the base somewhat unnoticed, any who saw them passing by carrying bags over their shoulders or just sitting around simply glanced at them and kept on doing what they were doing.

Aang followed the smell to a room that was glowing orange from the inside, meaning fire, meaning warmth. As they approached the door, Aang peered around the corner, then looked at Ty who nodded she would be look out.

He went inside and there was a loud _CLUNK_, _thump_, then silence. Aang motioned for her to come in with him, and when she did...she saw wall of jars of things, pots bubbling with delicious smelling substances, just because it was food.

"We gotta remember to eat only enough so we aren't weak for the fight...we don't wanna...-" Aang said looking at the food, "Slow...ourselves...down..." they both began stuffing their mouths full of what they saw before them.

Finally Aang put a hand up, "That's enough..." he said with a full mouth, muffling it, suddenly he saw the trail of steam that was leaving the pots and going out the door...it was being blown out.

He followed where the breeze was coming from and saw a wooden door built in the wall. He motioned to it swallowing his mouth full and she nodded and followed him up to it. He put his ear up against the door,

"Where is General Feihzu now?" someone was saying, "He's thinking…on the balcony..." a gruff voice said. A balcony? That meant a way off...! Aang looked at Ty Lee who looked at him wide eyed in turn at the same revelation.

Aang cracked the door to look out at the two men talking, it was a man with a scar on his face shaped like a crescent moon, he was in what looked like a Earth Bending soldier's garb. The other was putting on his.

"How do I look?" asked the slaver, the one with the scarred face didn't seem amused, "Just remember to act your part when we deliver the Avatar to the Fire Nation at sundown tomorrow..." he said gruffly.

Aang and Ty Lee's eyes grew... so THATS what Bushu and Roku had meant by _"Men who would betray you..."_ Ty Lee grabbed his hand almost instinctually, and he squeezed it back.

"Why isn't Raku back..." the scarred man said, "It's nearly time to change the guard..." Suddenly a bell sounded. Aang and Ty Lee looked at each other, they feared it was the-

"THE AVATAR'S LOOSE!" Came and echoing call throughout the caves...an alarm.

Aang put Ty Lee behind him and jumped in the air stepping back, then jumped forwards spinning around and slammed his foot down as he jolted his upper body and hands forwards at the door. The ground beneath them leapt up as he did and shoved the door off it's hinges and sailed outwards towards the two slavers.

The one who apparently was reporting was knocked off his feet by the wooden door, but as it sailed towards the scar faced one, he jetted his hands out, smashing the door into splinters with a wall of rock he summoned.

Ty Lee saw the man getting up and dove on him and began showering him with punches, Aang was busy bending with the scar faced slaver. He used bending to summon the stalagmites to rush at Aang, points facing him.

Aang spun around making an earth dome around him, but the jagged rocks pierced the less dense earth. When it crumbled, Aang was no longer there with a gaping hole in his place.

Suddenly the scar faced slaver felt a pan on his shoulder of a rock hitting him hard, he growled and spun around, and mid spin he fell off his feet as a gust of wind picked him up and dropped him. He growled and flipped back to his feet and jetted a slab of rock at Ty Lee, making Aang come out of his hiding spot. Aang jumped from among the stalagmites and sent them at the slaver in turn, striking at the slab that was headed towards Ty Lee's head with his staff, smashing it to bits.

Ty Lee bent backwards to avoid the rock bits and they missed her by inches. The slaver deflected the rocks headed his way easily, then sent them AND a stream of dusty rock at Aang, blowing him back into the kitchen.

Aang shook his head and looked up at the kitchen utensils, and the pots...of water…boiling. The slaver ripped the door way open wider and raised his hand to make a rock floating behind him descend at Aang.

Aang dodged bent the water in the pot and made it jump out right in the face of the man.

He grabbed his face and screamed louder and higher then Aang thought he would. Aang jumped up and ran along the narrow kitchen walls past him and used air bending to polt him over his shoulders and back outside the kitchen. The man fell to his back and scrawled on the floor, in fact at Ty's feet. She knelt down and slammed her fists hard at his pressure points making him limp, and he just stared angrily and in pain at the ceiling with a completely red and wet face. Suddenly Aang and Ty Lee heard a grunt like bleet, Ty's eyes lit up, _"The mom!"_ she said. Aang looked confused at her.

She rushed past him into the kitchen franticly, "Ty Lee what is it?" Aang asked, Ty Lee opened one of the cabinets and before them in a cage, held by its neck with a chained collar was the Sheep-hog's mother.

"You gotta set it free!" Ty Lee said, "It's baby is how I found this place...it wanted me to find its mother, I know that now!" she said.

Aang nodded trying to understand everything, and bent the cage open, it was made of rock ironically. The Sheep-hog grunted thankfully, but then Aang and Ty heard footsteps approaching as well as voices...angry.

"Come on!" Aang said picking up his glider staff. The three ran out of the kitchen through the other door, a guard stood in front of them, but before he could bend was rammed over by the sheep-hog, having the wind knocked out.

The Sheep-hog bleated as to get their attention an ran up a flight of stairs to their right. "Think it remembers the way out?" Ty Lee said.

"Why would they blindfold their dinner?" Aang said and he and Ty Lee raced after it upstairs. They ran up the stairs and nearly tripped over the animal after making a bend and coming to where it had stopped its gallop at a door way.

Before them was a large, long stone bridge or overpass of some sort over a huge chasm at the bottom of which were several large pillars of rock spiring up out of the water system or underground river in the mountain.

Aang and Ty Lee smiled at each other than at the creature which "Baaah'd" for them to follow.

Suddenly they could hear noise behind them, "They're coming.." Aang said, "Let's move!" they ran across the bridge, then suddenly saw other slavers on the other side of the bridge coming out of the door in the cliff wall.

They were trapped, several dozen slavers on either side of them, holding weapons or in bending stances, growling and smirking at them from beneath their hoods. Aang and Ty Lee got back to back, and the Sheep-hog pawed its hoof on the ground and shook its horns menacingly.

The men charged them yelling as they went, "Hold still..." Aang cautioned to Ty Lee as he focused. He closed his eyes and like a sideways revolving door, the portion of the bridge that the men approaching on his side was turned over on its back, then back again, dumping them into the drink bellow.

Ty Lee however was running in the other direction towards the slavers on the opposite side alongside the sheep-hog. She did several summersaults and jumped out of the last one, sailing over the benders attempting to make the rock she was one move. She landed on the shoulders of one of the men, then wrapping her legs around his neck from the side, then fiercely contorted and twisted her body making him slam into the rock floor of the bridge face first. Before any of the other men could move she unwrapped her legs just as fluidly and spun them up in a pinwheel tripping several others, then sprung off her hands, and began poking and pressure point jabbing them to and fro before they could even extend their arms fully. The Sheep hog on the other hand ran into any of the slavers distracted by her, polting them over the side of the bridge into the water beneath them.

Ty Lee winced as one of them was knocked in the seat off the bridge, remembering how that was nearly her.

Meanwhile on Aang's side, he was countering and dodging their earth bending effectively enough, sweeping them off the side with gusts of wind like a broom.

The next set of slavers were mostly benders now attempted do the same move he had used on their cohorts. They turned the portion of the bridge he and Ty Lee were on over on its side, Ty Lee ran up the bridge as it slanted, jumped onto the edge of it as it turned upward, then flipped over it as the bottom became the top of it.

Aang on the other hand had dug his feet into the bridge so that he was still standing upright...upside down. He now began making holes in the rock bridge from underneith so that those he could hear above him would fall through into the water several stories bellow. One of them was Ty Lee who thankfully got out of the way, "HEY!" she yelled. "Sorry..." he said grinning sheepishly.

The benders he HAD been fighting who had turned him upside down in the first place, bent holes in the bride and swung themselves upside down like him so that now their feet were planted in the underside of the bridge too. Aang grinned seeing them falling for his ruse and smashed his way through the underside of the bridge, and landed on the top of it over the benders who were now on the underside. Doing this, he unbent the rock from around their feet causing them to fall into the water below.

She heard an extraordinarily loud grunt and turned around only to keep turning into a spin to evade a jagged rock slab heading right for her head.

Ty Lee ran, head down at the earth bending slaver as he jetted several slabs of rock at her from the rock of the bridge. She bent and ducked and flipped over each one without stopping her momentum. As she got a yard from him she jumped out of her run to avoid a slab of rock meant to hit her shins, she twirled in the jump wrapping her hands around the man's head, and brought her leg forward hard making her knee collide into his chin. She brought the other knee into his gut knocking the wind out of him besides, making him inevitably fall.

A bender came up behind her with a rock axe, but a rock chunk knocked him off balance as it was bent at him by Aang giving Ty Lee enough time to duck out of the way.

Suddenly they both heard a roar as Pat, the slaver whose nose she'd bloodied earlier came at her with a large hammer, she moved out of the way of the large strokes but not as easily as she thought it would be. One of the strikes nearly hit the Sheep-hog, it bleated fearfully at being missed so closely. "You're going to pay for ruining my face..." he growled.

Ty Lee narrowed her eyes and slammed her foot in a heel kick knife edge that cracked the long wooden handle of the hammer after he slammed it in the ground where she was just standing. She crescent kicked his large hand out of the way as he tried to grab her, then while he was semi hunched, she jumped up sideways with her knee's to her chest and kicked out with both feet at once into his chest. It sent her backwards, and him forwards towards the edge of the bridge. He fell over flailing his arms until he splashed in the water. "It was bad to start with...but at least you won't be thinking about JUST your face now..." she called over the side.

The sheep-hog "Baaah'd" over the side as well after the men in the water, bobbing unconsciously or struggling. Aang meanwhile had just air bent two of the last slavers using weapons into the wall opposite theirs, knocking them out.

"Come on!" Ty Lee said, and they both continued on down the long bridge to the opening on the other side. They came to a room filled with treasures, boxes, bags, carpets up against the wall, and draped like curtains.

Among the treasures were suits of armor, gleaming, swords encrusted with jewels, as well as a hilt that fit the kind of dagger that Ty Lee had found in the cave. Aang and Ty Lee krept quietly through the vast store room, not sure if they should double back or not, also unsure if there would be even more slavers on the other side of them waiting to ambush.

They found several suits of Earth Kingdom soldier uniforms, this was how they were going to smuggle them without incriminating themselves. Some of them were on rock mannequins, not yet worn.

Suddenly the Sheep-hog ran at one of the clad mannequins, in response the mannequin came to life opening its eyes and earth bent a mound around the creature, trapping it. It was a slaver with his face painted to match the rock of the mannequin.

Aang raised his staff to strike a wind blow at the man but Ty Lee heard the familiar sound of a whip rocketing through the air and snatching Aangs' glider, Aang held onto it fast, but was hit in the face by a hooded ghost guard from the distraction. It was Larce...of course...he was hidden amidst one of the carpets of wall decorations.

Ty Lee growled at him as she side kicked the guard who had hit Aang out, making him go immobile by punching and pressing his pressure points.

Larce looked at her, "Red?" he asked, surprised at seeing her alive. "Guess it's my lucky night..." he said slashing the whip again and making the staff snap into his hands, then threw it behind him just as quickly.

"You can't get out..." he said in his annoying way "The storms returning...your trapped in here.." he said making a face at her, "Your lying..." she said.

"Am I?" he said, Thunder rolled outside.

"Besides...I'm not a bad guy...once you get to know me...I'll protect you when the lightning scares you.." he said smirking. So he had heard her that night she'd confessed her fear of lightning. Plus, his whips were quicker than her, and he knew it, that cocky smirk on his face was unbearable.

She stood ready for his attack, and it came, the whip curled in the air faster than lightning missing her by an inch, unfortunately that's what he wanted. He then lashed out another whip from behind his back and smacked at the Sheep-hog to his left, making it bleat in mid charge from the sound and shrink back. Ty looked towards the animal as he'd hoped she would and he lashed his whip wrapping it around her leg, yanking her off her feet.

She hit the ground on her back, and the other whip lashed around her other ankle, going taught, she turned around clawing the ground as he dragged her towards him, "Stop, and I wont hurt you..." he said loosening the first whip and raising it over his head.

It snapped around her neck and she gasped desperately for air as she felt herself being strangled.

"No you won't..." Aang said from behind her. Suddenly saw a mound of earth swallow him up and slam him against the ceiling, hard.

Aang glared up at him, now upright, with his arms stretched towards the mound of earth that was pressing him against the ceiling wall. "Ever again..." he said, and let him fall.

Ty Lee untangled the whip from her ankle and jumped up, taking Aangs arm to help her rise. "Are you okay?" Aang asked. Ty Lee nodded, "Yeah...thanks for dealing with that BUG..." she said glancing at the smothered Larce on the ceiling.

Suddenly they heard lightning clash outside...so there was a storm. "Come on.." Aang said pulling Ty Lee along, she held back, he looked at her,

"Ty it'll be okay..." he said reassuringly, "I can get us out...I learned how..." She looked at him funnily, "I'm serious..." he said. "Trust me." She bit her lip and took his hand he had outstretched and closed her eyes.

They ran upstairs, they were in a large what looked like eating area, tables stretched from one end of the room to the other. The sheep-hog bleeted at them again in a grunt and rushed under the tables to the far end of the room.

They heard another rumble of thunder and both Aang and Ty Lee saw a door leading to an open balcony outside. "There it is..." Aang said excitedly.

"Air bender..." came a menacing voice. Aang moved to the side just in time for a spiked ball to crash next to where he and Ty had been. She shreiked and Aang made a scared noise, the spiked ball was the size of his head. It yanked itself out of the wall and soared back to its master on a chain who began swinging it around and around,

"I thought you'd try to make join with your element of the air..Avatar..." the large man sneered. He had a gruff hard face, and a white beard and long hair that was not from weakness or age. It went down almost touching his shoulders in long braids, the beard on his chin also braded at the tips with gold bands. His physique was strong, not like the man that she had bloodied the nose of, but strong visibly from his sleeveless tunic and robe, of course also embroidered with the crest of the Mountain Ghost.

Aang stood his ground and jabbed his staff with both hands in his direction, "Let us by..." he warned.

The man nearly laughed, "You think you're in a position to give orders?" he said smiling.

"You may be the Avatar but this is the Mountain of Ghosts...and it is MY mountain...Feihzu's moutain."

"Who's Feizhu?" Ty Lee whispered. "Him I'm guessing..." Aang said not taking his glaring stare off of him.

"You have nowhere to run here Avatar..." he chuckled again. "This mountain and the neihboring ones especially are rittled with iron...you survived the last storm but...I doubt you'll be as lucky a second time." he smirked

"If its full of iron..." Aang said, "How are you all safe here? I dont buy it."

He glanced at one of the pillars of the room, "See those?" he said, "Our entire base is covered in metal shafts that lead down to the ground at the foot of the mountain, it was built by the Earth kingdom's armies before as base of operation, no one would dare try to come in after or be smitten by the lightning from the heavens..." he grinned.

"The lightnings channeled down the rods..." Aang said, "Through a point leading outside...that's why there are so many spires sticking straight up out there, so the earth can take its relentlessness..." Aang murmered.

Feihzu raised a brow, "If you put it that way..." he said, "Now you seek to muck up our opperations in this mountain...our home.."

"Your taking what doesn't belong to you..." Aang said.

"Goes with the territory..." he replied, "We're theives..."

"Your stealing CHILDREN!" Aang said angrily. The man smiled looking at the ground as if he had said something stupid, he chuckled "Stealing is stealing, whether it be an object or a person...OR A LIFE!"

The man said, whipping his large weapon at them again. It soared over Aangs head as he bent his body to move out of the way, and Ty Lee flipped over one of the dining room tables. The sheep-hog ran underneath the tables to avoid being hit.

The weapon looked too heavy to wield at all, but in the hands of an earth bender it was like swinging a bag of feathers on string. Aang dodged left and right, going into a splits to dodge the most recent to his face, almost nicking the top of his head with its spike. Feihzu swung it around and a round, knocking tables Ty Lee and Aang kept using for cover out of the way and shattering them to splinters, even though they too were made of rock.

Then Aang had an idea, he stood still and waited for the weapon to soar at him again, and it did in record time, focusing all his energy he bent the rock ball before it reached him and it stopped inches from his face, "AANG!" Ty Lee cried at the closeness.

He then bent the ball and chain back at Feihzu who was shocked at his master of being able to counter him, and Aang used his feet to make the ground shift beneath Feihzu like Toph had taught him, making him lose his balance. He made the spike ball swing around him like a quick orbitting moon and tie him up with his own metal chain, then dug the ball into the wall above him, and sealed the rock of the wall over the spiked ball, hanging him there like a coat.

Feizhu growled at him struggling to break free, but Aang kept the rock bending up so that his own couldn't free himself from the cieling. Then he noticed the girl who was perched on one of he stone tables by the balcony, he grinned.

Aang followed his gaze, "NO!" he said, but it was to late, the table had been flipped over by a mound of earth that Feihzu had made jet upwards, catapulting Ty Lee out and into the rain outside screaming.

Aang dropped his bending off of Feihzu after pushing him further into the wall by the spike ball and chain, then hurtled himself over the row of overturned tables in one bound to the balcony outside.

It was raining hard and the wind was begining to howl, "TY LEE?" he cried out, no reply, he used his staff to secure himself and leaned fowards, "TYY!" he called out franticly.

"I'm here!" he heard a scared voice scream.

"Don't worry Ty Lee!" he caled down, "I'm coming after- OOF!" Aang was cut off by a horned head of the Sheep-hog, pushing him over the side of the balcony and then jumping over herself, right before the chainless spike ball of Feihzu's weapon crashed through the stone railing of the balcony, shattering it into shards and clashing down the side of the mountain.

Aang looked at the Sheep-hog then at the shattered hole in the railing that was nearly him, the creature had saved his life. He nodded his thanks to the Sheep-hog, who began climbing nimbely up the side of the mountain to find its young no doubt.

Aang still had his staff in hand, and began hurriedly looking along the steep mountain side for his friend, "TY?" he called out over the rain.

Thunder rolled. "TY!" he cried out again fearing the worst as the rain poured against his bald head.

"Aang!" came her voice from bellow him, further down the sloping mountain, he began hurriedly climbing down as quickly as he could without slipping until. He came at last to the edge of the ledge he was sure he'd heard the voice coming from.

Bellow him a few feet down, towards the more steep part of the mountin until it came to a shere cliff, was Ty Lee.

She holding onto a root or bush branch that portruded from the side of the very steep mountain wall...bellow her, nothing but abyss, Aangs heart skipped a beat. "TY LEE!" he called franticly so she could make eye contact with him.

"Aang..." she said, "I think the trees breaking..." she said fearfuly over the wind. "Just hold on Ty Lee!..." he said trying to reassure her, "I'm coming down after you-"

"AANG WATCH OUT!" he heard her scream, he looked over his shoulder just in time to summersault forwards to the next level of rock bellow as the chain of Feihzu's weapon crashed down, smashing the rock ledge he'd been standing on precariously.

He hopped down a few more levels then glanced up at the shadowy silhouette of Feihzu, his face was contorted into a look of hate that was half a smile for catching Aang and his friend in such a deadly cercumstance. The chain in his hand, devoid of the spike ball from before was now even more deadly as it freely waved in the wind in his hand, clanking against rocks. He was climbing down after them, Aang made a rock formation rise more infront of him to provide a harder decsent down to them, knowing it wouldn't hold, but would have to do, he HAD To get to Ty Lee.

Lightning flashed, he heard Ty Lee scream. Aang jerked his head up to see lightning sailing throug the air and hit the mountain spire opposite them across the abyss and finally fizz out after its crack of hitting it.

They were the furthist things from the ground right now...

He hurried down to her even faster, not caring if he slipped, using as much bending as he could to secure his foot holds. "Just hold on Ty Lee.." Aang pleaded to her, he heard a roar and the sound of rocks breaking above him, Feihzu had cut past Aangs barrier.

Suddenly a rip was heard that sounded like wood splitting and Ty Lee screamed as her branch lowered itself, hanging on by less to the mountain wall. "HANG ON TY LEE!" Aang nearly screamed himself.

There was no more ledge between him and Ty Lee, he tried to make it biggber but something was keeping the rock back, Feihzu. He lowered his staff down as much as he could,"REACH FOR ME TY! REACH!" he called, using half his consintration to keep the rock ledge from moving or shrinking, and the other half trying to dangle the glider staff low enough for her to get too...it wasn't working.

"I cant reach it!" Ty Lee cried above the storm. "You have to flip yourself up!" Aang called down to her, he looked up seeing the figure of Feihzu casually walking down to them

Lightning struck again, this time closer, Ty Lee screamed and burried her face in her shoulder, "DONT LET GO TY LEE!" Aang yelled.

He heard laughter above him, he looked behind him to see Feihzu knocking rocks that were between him and them out of the way with his newly formed chain whip that sparked as it hit the rocks before reducing them to shards.

Aang looked back down at her through the rain, "Listen to me,...You have to flip yourself up..." Aang said desperately. Lighting clashed around them again and she shrieked, "I can't I can't do it!" she said frightenedly.

"YES YOU CAN!" Aang said, "Ty Lee, I'm RIGHT HERE! flip yourself up...trust me! I wont let you get-" He suddenly saw in the side of his vision, a chain dangling near his head, and heard a low chuckling above him.

As he looked behind his shoulder he saw Feihzu above him about 6 feet up, now swinging his chain around his head, his white braded hair lapping the wet wind. "It's time to return you brat's to the spirit world Avatar..." he yelled in a cruel snarl of a smile.

Aang could smell in the air that lightning was coming again, he shut his eyes and focused, letting go of the rock wall and letting his hands go to his sides.

"AANG WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Ty lee asked franticly, "AAAAAAaaaa-..."

Previously: in the spirit world

"Touch the side of my back kid..." Bushu said rising his head out of the water, Aang felt the smooth wet hide of the the creature, it hummed low, and he could feel a tingling of static electricity along his fingers.

"Can you feel it kid..." Bushu said, "The life...?" Aang nodded, "I feel it..."

"That same energy's in you..." Bushu said, "I'm just more built for containing it see?...I house it better than your bodies...you humans couldn't take that much life."

"Like a dam..." Aang said, "too much water and it'll burst…",

Bushu smiled and cut in, "BUT...it needs ducts to let the water out...everything has an out...and an in..."

"Like air..." Aang said remembering his instructors words, "You breath in what is breathed out...something is given back as freely as it is taken..."

Bushu nodded, "No your gett'n it kid..." he said. "Try it...focus the chi...let it channel through you...like this..."

It raised its body even more out of the water, arching it like the letter S, then the low humming Aang heard began getting somewhat more audible, and he saw the glowing glands of its hide, begin to glow a bit more, then the light traveled up its back to its long neck to its jaws, until finally ZAP, lighting shot out of his gapping grinning jaws, resounding with a thunderous crack.

Aang balanced himself on a rock beneath the water and began focusing his chi...channeling it...feeling it being channeled from his arm to his shoulder...his heart...and out his other arm, then back again.

"Nope nope!" Bushu said, "Let it out...let it release..." he said.

"Otherwise the life will kill ya..."

Aang looked up at the creature who reemphasized, "Too much life will be too much for your body to take, your built to only house so much energy in ya...like the fish we electrocute...they can't contain enough life as us..."

Aang nodded.

"The energy in the air..." Bushu said looking up at the stormy clouds, "...The energy in you..." he said pointing to Aang's chest with his tale, "The energy that strikes as lightning, demands to be reunited...and will not tolerate being refused. It's far too ravaging, to strong...too...relentless too be denied...it has to be joined with like life."Bushu said.

Aang opened his eyes repeating again to try to fathom as much meaning as he could out of this lesson, "So...the energy that comes at me...is just waiting to be redistributed...?"

Bushu nodded going on, "You gotta find the balance kid...knowing what energy to store...what to house...what your built to house...what you were destined to house...and know which part of the energy to let go...let it go out through you, and it won't harm you, try to retain it with in you...you'll burst. Even I can't hold onto _too_ much of it."

Aang paused and said,

"So...I have to find the right kind of energy...even in my life, or with my friends…for me to channel in me...the one i should disperse...and the one i should nourish like I do my own energy...?" Bushu smiled wider and it wasn't as creepy,

"Now you're getting it kid...hate, love, passions…they're no different."

Aang smiled, then said, "...I have to let her go...don't I..." his face changed.

Bushu looked back at the storm clouds, "It's your choice kid...but energy like that, the one you have you have for this girl...you let it stay in your heart without it being able to bounce back to you...-"

"And I'll burst..." Aang finished.

Bushu shrugged...kind of...it was hard to tell with his body's shape. "Life's relentless...beautiful, saving, wild, dangerous, and hurtful...but we accept it, and channel it...and retain what we were meant too...it's only then we realize how much we can take, and who we should take it for…"

Aang nodded, sighing as he hadn't sighed in a long time. "You'll have someone to bounce your energy back into your kid...everything has its circle..." Bushu said reassuringly.

"That kind of energy though…?" Aang said.

"Anything's possible sport…" Bushu replied.

Aang could hear voices again around him, "Master Bushu..?" he asked. "What is that I hear, why does it suddenly feel like I'm bound?"

"You're almost outta time kid..." Bushu said sinking back into the water slowly.

Aang called after him feeling more and more like he was tied between something, "I need to know...where am I...and why do you and Roku insist I continue focusing my chi rather than waking up...?"

Bushu's shoulders sunk beneath the tide.

"Your being paid a special homage of incense...incense to keep you from seeing straight, your meditating right now is what's keeping your brain from going to mush...like that cactus chugging friend of yours..." Bushu said.

Aang smiled remembering Sokka, "I'm going to see them again right?" Aang asked, knowing that when Bushu had fully left, he'd wake up.

"You will if you remember this lesson kid..." Bushu said, his long neck now disappearing beneath the surface.

Present: on the mountain

...-Ang!" Ty Lee cried.

Aang stood there, hands at his sides, wind swaying him like a scarecrow, eyes shut. The chain whipped through the air right at his head and collar bone. Aangs hand came up gracefully and quickly, almost in slow motion, catching the chain in a pass block with the side of his arm before grabbing it before it could touch him.

He then looped the chain around his arm in the same motion, only now opening his eyes, he yanked the chain making Feihzu lose his footing, then rose his hand upwards to the sky JUST as the lightning cracked and slashed into Aang like knife cutting through a bed sheet. But inside, as his eyes were closed, he could feel it, all of a sudden he felt his heart beating...heard it, as loud as if his ears were in his chest...everything was in slow motion now, he felt it...channeling through him...like water through a duct, down his arm, past is heart...and as it hit his heart...he felt a rush of energy he thought would make hime burst, his heart beat sounded like a drum now.

_"Releaaaaaaaaaaaaase it..."_ He heard Roku's voice say, Aang still in this slow motion trance. He felt it channel out of his heart...past it...to his shoulder, and down his arm...

SUDDENLY IT WAS GONE, the slow motion was over, all his senses were on ends like pins and needles...if he had had hair, it would have stood up, he felt exhausted...and revitalized at the same time...his eyes were wide, and there was smoking coming off of his feet where the lightning had gone into the ground...and the end of his fist where the lightning had struck him. As well as...the chain...that was held onto...by the smoldering hand...of Feihzu the child slaver...who could not take that much life, more relentless then him.

Ty Lee stared up at Aang, wide eyed, forgetting her preidicament for a hot minute...just from the shere awe that he was still standing there...only his clothes scortched...his skin...intact and unchared.

Suddenly the branch snapped and everything snapped back into focus again, she screamed, feeling nothing but open air and nothing bellow her but dark as she fell head over heels. Suddenly as she turned over, she saw bellow her something suddenly zoom under her and spread it's wings like a red eagle, it was Aang's glider. The glider turned over and she saw Aang, with his back and the glider facing the abyss bellow him and his body facing her. He slowed the air under him and her for her to land on his waist, she instinctively wrapped her arms and legs around him straddling him like a Koala-mouse and he turned over again and swoop out of the decent...soaring away from the canyon...the mountain...and what remained of the Hall of the Mountain Ghosts...


	13. Chapter 13

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_The Wake _

Katara moaned, they had been trudging through rocky terrain for almost 2 days, plus there was a wretched storm that came and went that left them rarely dry. She looked at the flute that Aang played to call Appa…she heard footsteps behind her.

**"Hey…thanks…"** Katara said.

**"Ugh…if you're going to be all smug and sarcastic about me taking your dumb ol' comb then-" **Toph was beginning to say.

**"No no…"** Katara protested, **"I mean…thank you for….well you know…trying to find Aang…"**

**"Why wouldn't I try find twinkle toes?"** Toph said.

Katara sighed, **"Nevermind I guess…."** And began walking back to the camp sight.

Toph called after her **"….something else bothering you?…."**

Katara sighed and stopped. **"What do you care…?"**

Toph walked up behind her, **"Ever since Aang left you've been mopey…"**

**"So…?"** Katara said, **"..and I should be bounding from joy?"** Toph folded her arms.

**"No…worried for him I get…even mad at me for agreeing to let him go would be understandable…YOUR being a mopey pain in the neck…"**

Katara wanted to be angry but she was right…she was more melancholy that this was her fault somehow than anything else.

**"I'd rather not talk about it…"** she said honestly. She began walking again.

**"You know…"** Toph said. **"You shouldn't blame yourself…"**

Katara stopped in her tracks and turned around eyes wide.

Toph shrugged, **"I have super hearing…"** she said, **"I tried to ignore you guys but….it was kind of hard too…so I went further downwind…"**

Katara sighed again, **"Thanks for not telling Sokka…"** she said. Toph leaned against a rock mound she made.

**"So…."** She said, **"Wanna talk about it now?"**

Katara sat in the second mound of earth that was created under her. **"If this is to make fun…"** she warned.

Toph crossed her legs, **"Would you just spill already?"**

Katara took out the whistle again, **"We were…talking about what we'd do after the siege of the Fire Nation…"** she said.

**"I'd be living with my gran again with Sokka…and dad…Aang wanted to start a new Air Temple somewhere out here…"**

Toph yawned, Katara rolled her eyes, **"Fine if you don't want to-"**

Toph put up her hands, **"Hold your water packs…I'm tired so give me some slack and get to the point…he was talking to me about what he wanted to do afterwards too."**

Katara sat back down, **"He did?"** she asked. Toph cracked her knuckles, **"Just keep going…"**

Katara looked at the stars… **"He told me how the first thing he wanted to do...was start teaching flying again…showing people the heavens up close…"**

Toph nodded. **"I asked how he would do that without air benders…well actually I asked him if he'd teach Earth and Water benders too…he said that not just air benders could learn to fly through the air…to feel free like that."**

Toph didn't say anything, but she was still awake she could tell.

**"…he asked me….if I would consider helping him too…teach bending at that school because….I had been so invaluable to him as a teacher."**

**"Well…"** Toph said, Katara gave her a look, **"What? He was right…"** Toph said. **"Go on…"**

**"I said I'd think about it…I was flattered, he looked honestly happier than I've ever seen him sense before Appa was taken."**

**"Mhmmm"** Toph said as if she was analyzing.

**"Well…"** Katara continued, **"As you know…me and Aang have…well gotten to know each other really well and….we've been close…"**

**"Ah huh…"** Toph said affirmatively. **"Well he brought that up and…it was true…we have been getting closer…"**

**"But…"** Toph said, Katara again sighed, **"Yeah….but…..its not the same with Aang…its not that kind of closeness to him..its more…"**

**"Togetherness?"** Toph suggested, Katara nodded

**"Exactly…I can't love him the way he wants me too…..or maybe its I don't want to try…I don't know…I'm just…"**

Toph sat up, **"Look…everyone has their type…I'd of pegged you for being the type of that guy Jet…or…someone dangerous like that…you look at Twinkle toes as just that…a cute little brother."**

Katara glanced down, **"It seems so simple when you say it…"**

**"You love him and you don't want to break his heart…you don't love him that way…..so, for him too love you that way's making you all gloomy because you want to be there for him like that but you know it wouldn't be fair for him." **Toph said.

Katara sighed and looked at the sky,

**"And now he's gone…and …I wasn't able to tell him or…try to make him understand why….I didn't even know why myself, I just avoided him like an idiot and…"**

**"Now…"** Toph cut in, **"He's interoperated it as you being mad at him or hating him."** Katara put her face in her hands. **"I made him leave Toph…he did it to get away from the shoulder I was turning towards him cause I was too scared to face him about it….I didn't mean to make him think it didn't like him…"**

Toph rolled up her sleeves yawning, **"Seen it a million times….when people clam up, people interperate all kinds of stuff for themselves…Twinkle toes crushed on you HARD, we could all see it. You may not have wanted to hurt his feelings but you wound up letting him alone with his own crazy ideas of why you wouldn't talk to him about it…he could be thinking who knows what about it."**

**"I know…."** Katara said, **"I'm such an idiot…."** Toph shrugged, **"Ehh…regardless, your still sweet, and Twinkle toes can be overly excited about stuff, but he also knows people, it'll take a while but he knows deep down you don't hate him, he'll realize it on his own."**

Katara looked at Toph, **"If we can find him…"** Toph stretched, **"We will…and when we do, you better spill why…or at least talk and see where it goes from there…your silence'll only hurt him more….gosh why the heck am I playing shrink to you?"**

Katara smiled, **"Maybe your that kind too?"**

Toph brushed it aside with a jerk of her wrest, **"Naah, you just looked _that _pathetic…"**

Katara smiled a bit, **"Thanks…and nice try…that was still sweet what you did."**

Toph sighed, **"For what it's worth I'm sorry too...I told him he could use the time alone to get in touch with everything when he asked if it was a good idea...I didn't know he was going to try to circle the entire glo-"**

Suddenly they heard a noise, _**"OOF!"**_ and a cry for help, or anger…or something.

Momo zoomed and nearly smacked Katara in the face alighting on her shoulder, _"EEK EEP EEP EEP OOOOH"_ it wailed.

**"SOKKA!"** Katara exclaimed and jumped up from her earth chair that quickly disappeared back into the ground and her and Toph rushed to the camp site, the fire was put out and they heard shufflling.

**"I'm not with anybody!"** they heard Sokka say as they neared. **"Wait…"** said another voice, **"Your right Longshot, that voice is familiar."**

Toph stopped in her tracks, **"LONGSHOT?"** Katara said. She broke through the bushes to see several figures all masked, except for one that had a long basket hat on his head and had a bow and arrow now pointed at her as she neared.

The one who was on top of Sokka and now holding him in a choke hold on the ground, saw her and Toph and quickly rose.

**"Kata-" OOF!**

Suddenly he was jerked back by a mound of earth that swallowed him up and pushed him off his feet making him roll several times.

The members of his group stood ready for attack, then the one with a bow and arrow put his hands up and struck a flint on the tip of his bow…which apparently doubled for a torch.

He took of his mask, **"LONGSHOT!"** Katara said.

She looked at the one Toph had knocked the wind out of as he took off his mask, **"JET?"**

* * *

Meanwhile on the Air ship Mai was out on the railing, looking at the clouds as they finally passed away over the mountains, they rumbled.

**"I HATE this place….."** Mai said almost spitting, she threw one of her knife/hair pins at nothing in particular, it disappeared then gleamed in the moonlight as it did.

**"Let's hope that doesn't hit someone…unless that was your original intent…."** Came a voice to her left.

She looked to it and saw a tall figure coming towards her, as the moonlight illuminated his face she could see it was the Fire Nation pilot…Brago.

Brago was the son of the late general Zhao, but was nearly nothing like him at all, one of the reasons he was all but disowned by him, and sent away to the military acadamy and was taught by Lu Ten, who was the late son of Iroh…who was the uncle of her boyfriend….or ex-boyfriend…Zuko, and it was by this she knew him. As to why he was here, he was the sort of fellow that would take to things, regardless of what it was, he was the first to master the winged craft the Fire Nation developed after being explained as to how it worked once.

(Link to what Brago looks like is on my profile info)

His manner was…caviler…direct, mildly amusing, she had to confess she liked his company.

(His voice is Joseph Gordon Levitt and his personality is like his character in INCEPTION.)

**"Hmmf…"** she said without looking at him again. He bowed, **"Mistress Azula was in a bit of a mood earlier…then again when is she not?"**

Mai didn't answer and continued looking at the moon. He walked up and leaned on the post of the railing like her.

She still wouldn't look at him, her need to be alone would outweigh her need to not be…it was always so diacotic with her…but usually the first would win out because generally no one stayed around past her insults or blatant ignoring of the person.

**"If you wanted…"** he said, **"I could say I'm going out on a scouting route and search the mountain…"**

Mai did open her eyes to this, he had struck a nerve, **"What difference would that make…you know as well as I she isn't coming back…"**

Brago grinned a little, **"Precisely why I should go…I know as well as you and you. And you know she may by some slim chance be out there still…"**

Mai got off the railing and began walking, **"What you want me to thank you?"** she said. He stood up too holding his helmet under his arm.

"**Just an acknowledgement from you that I have your leave."** He said. She turned around, **"If you had a suspicion she was still out there why didn't you ask to go back when it was still a day after she went missing?" **

Brago's expression was unchanged at her retort and attitude, she hated how he could just swallow her mood like bad medicine and TAKE it.

**"Because I honestly believed she was dead until I started seeing the suspicion on YOUR face that she may still be alive…when I train my men I judge them on how they view each other as well as myself. If you thought Ty Lee could survive that mountain or storm well…then I knew it was good source." **

Mai shut her mouth which was about to say something. **"No…"** she said. **"It would be just to make me feel better…I did think she was still out there but…not now…it's been to long." **

Brago nodded, **"If that's your answer I'll take my leave ma'am…"** he said, Mai nodded to him instead of ignoring him…which was as good as thank you.

Then she sighed, **"Wait…"** she said, **"I would like to at least….like her to know we tried…"** oh gosh, now she was getting sentimental…

He bowed again, **"Evening Mai…"** he said. "And don't worry…" he said, **"Her loss won't be in vain….we'll get that Avatar…"**

* * *

Ty Lee woke up, she heard Aang moaning, she blinked her eyes adjusting them to the dark, she could see moon light coming from somewhere…they were in a dark room…not a cave…to box-like, had to be a barn.

She was sleeping on a bale of hay…it was still raining a bit outside, WAIT A SECOND. They were off the freaking mountain!

Was this a dream, where was Aang? The lightning! Had he really survived that?

She heard Aang moaning again and got up, **"Aang?"** she asked, **"Aang?"** she saw a flash of lighting out the window of the dark hay loft, and she winced from it and fell backwards dripping over a lump in the hay,

"**OOF!" **it was Aang she tripped over, he was tossing and turning in the hay bale next to her, he was still wet….no he was sweating.

**"NO!"** he said finally, **"I can control it…let go of the chain!"** She knelt down to him and shook him, **"AANG?"** she said.

"**LET GO OF THE CHAIN-!"** he cried before being shook awake. **"AANG!"** she yelled, Aang's eyes suddenly opened.

He hugged her fiercely almost immediately and she hugged him back, **"Oh…"** she said, **"Aang…"**

He just continued hugging her, **"I'm sorry…"** he said still shakily, **"I'm sorry…"** he repeated,

"**You got us off the mountain?"** Ty Lee asked, needing to hear it herself.

"**Sorry…"** he mumbled, **"For what…"** Ty Lee said looking him in the face now. **"I cou-…"** Aang started, **"I couldn't sto-…"** he blinked looking almost through her. **"I couldn't save him…"**

"**SAVE HIM?"** Ty Lee said, **"Freak-zu?"** she almost exclaimed, she shook her head, **"Aang just tell me this isn't a dream…we're off the mountain aren't we?"** Aang finally looked at her, he nodded and groaned, **"Yes Ty Lee…"** he said, **"We're off the mountain…"**

Ty Lee hugged him again. **"I couldn't stop…"** Aang started mumbling again, **"Aang…"** Ty Lee said almost upset that he'd be sorry he was gone…that he really had defeated her worst fear, AND the man who was going to polt them both over the side of that mountain at once. **"He was going to kill us…."** Ty Lee said cupping his face in her hands.

"**No…"** Aang mumbled, eye lids moving again, **"I'm…the Avatar…"** he almost shut them, **"We aren't-…posed..to…ki-"**

**"Aang…?"** she asked again, but saw that he was out again…still mumbling a bit, but not tossing or sweating now. She wrapped her arms around him, almost cradling him, and laid back against the hay bale. His hands came around her too, and she embraced him the more, leaving no inch between them. His hands were next to her hips but she didn't care…she just wanted him to wake up again…to be better cause he was clearly sick…but she'd be there for him….the same way he had been there for her…and had single handedly…got her down off the mountain…


	14. Chapter 14

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Decision_

Katara folded her arms, **"So if you didn't think it was Sokka…who DID you think it was?"**

The fire flickered in front of Jet and his band, him in the front, cross legged with one of his hook swords out and in the ground.

Smellerbee was glaring at Toph whose arms were folded and staring straight at her with an unwavering look of not caring.

**"Chi-Ko Rah…"** Jet said, **"Child slavers…they live on the Mountain of Ghosts….Mt. Fei…"**

Sokka was standing on the other side of the fire with the gang, with his hand on his boomerang in case of any double cross. He twitched at hearing the word slavers though.

**"What are you doing looking for them?"** he asked readjusting his hand on the boomerang.

**"What do you think?"** Smellerbee said glaring up at him now, **"We're trying to save those kids you bone head!"**

Jet put his hand up, **"Smellerbee enough…"** Katara was still glaring at Jet.

**"So what's your plan? Flood them and the children so they can't sell anymore later on?..."** she asked coldly.

Jet grimaced, **"I'm not…."** he sighed, **"That guy anymore…"**

**"OH NO?"** Katara said glaring and unfolding her own arms, Longshots hands twitched towards his bow, making Toph shuffle her feet, making Smellerbee reach for her weapons belt…making Sokka jerk his elbow with his boomerang. Jet however didn't move an inch but kept looking at the ground.

**"I know you got no reason to look at me the same…at the very least…but…I have a new perspective now…"**

Sokka chuckled overly loud, **"How are we supposed to believe that?"**

Smeller be snarled and marched towards him, **"Don't talk down to him you obnoxious scarecrow, you don't know anything about him!"**

Toph huffed, hearing that and Smellerbee glared.

**"Enough to know that he's a delusional psycho who doesn't give a fig about human life if it gets in the way of his warped sense of justice!"** Katara spat.

Jet stood up, but he kept his hook swords on the ground. **"Well in this case standing by and doing nothing, means allowing kids to be herded like animals to be sold to the likes of the Fire Nation work force colonies or whatever else they buy them for! That not warped enough for you?"**

Everyone flinched at the sudden motion of both Katara and Jet, raising their weapons or guard up another inch.

**"And you thought that I was a slaver?"** Sokka asked.

Jet looked at him, **"You were in a hood, that's their trade mark…"**

Sokka looked at his hood, **"It's been raining a lot, I thought it would rain this time too, no reason to go all sneaky up behind me-ish."**

Jet continued, **"They also recently used this site as their camp site, we saw you making camp in this clearing and thought they'd returned."**

**"Are they nomadic?"** Katara asked.

Jet shook his head, **"No, they're the Ghosts of the Mountain, they use their bending to go in and out of the mountain, they never have doors none benders can use. No one knows which mountain they're using as their home…"**

Toph shifted her weight in her stance, **"So you're looking for an earth bender whose actually nuts enough to help you?"** she asked.

**"That was our first initiative but…"** Jet said scratching his head, **"We heard about a special shipment coming down the mountain to be delivered to a Fire Nation vehicle east bound on the Wong Fain River. Rumor has it that they've got some…secret weapon they want to sell to the Fire Nation…"**

Katara scoffed, **"I knew it…it always comes down to getting your revenge on the Fire Nation…the fact that these kids are involved is pure coincidence isn't it?"**

Jet finally looked mad, **"The Fire Nation guy we got to talk said that the shipment was going to look like a regular shipment of kids to the ships that pick them up, like a regular transaction…"**

Sokka raised a brow, **"This is a regular transaction?"** he said in disbelief.

**"This area's pretty…._warped_…I guess you could say in what's looked at as normal…."** Jet said looking at Katara, who still was glaring.

**"Where's the slaver you got to talk? I want to hear it from him…"** she said.

**"He's not telling anyone anything right now…"** Jet said evenly. Katara's eyes grew a bit,

Toph spoke up, **"He's right…something's 6 feet under the ground a little ways from here…" **she said, **"It isn't moving and it's the size of a guy…"**

**"You killed him?"** Katara said,

**"I only did what he did to the kid we saw him with…"** Jet said piecing her gaze with his own, she staggered hearing that.

**"He was burying her when we happened upon him…"** Smellerbee said. Jet stepped closer, **"Still think the Fire Nation is worthy of mercy?"** he said looking at Katara.

Toph spoke up before Katara could, **"Hey, are those guys in the mountain Fire Nation? UH, NO. They're rock benders…Evil's evil, it doesn't belong to any one Nation, even if ones more good at it than others, let's just focus on getting those kids away when they make their rendezvous."**

Sokka looked at Toph,

**"We're helping them now?"** he asked.

Toph glanced at him, **"And why shouldn't we?"**

**"Because we still don't know where Aang is and Momo's lost his trail…"** Katara said.

**"The bald kids missing?"** Jet asked.

**"Yeah…and where's that flying throw rug you guys always fly on?"** Smellerbee asked before Longshot put a hand on her shoulder.

Katara turned to the group, **"We owe it to Aang to find out where he is…"**

**"Which way did you last have his trail?"** Jet said suddenly.

They all looked at him and Toph spoke up,** "About North East of here."**

Longshot glanced at Jet and he nodded,

**"Your right…"** he said to Longshot.

**"That's too close to where we're headed to not help you guys out too…"** Jet said.

Katara glanced at Jet, **"I promise we'll help you find your friend…but, we need to keep the rest of those kids from ending up like that little girl…"**

Katara was hugging her arms but still frowning, not at him, but the fire. Finally she spoke up, **"We'll help you rescue the kids…above all, we get them out, then we look for Aang…NO revenge trips…"** she said.

Jet honestly paused and thought about it, **"I'll only deal with whose in our way trying to get them back…"** he said honestly, **"Then we'll help you find your friend…Aang right?"**

Sokka looked from Katara to Jet, **"Sis this might not be the best-"**

**"Aang would want us to put those kids before him…"** Toph said, **"If we owe twinkle toes anything its that…"**

Sokka sighed, **"Your right.."** Longshot put away his bow, and nodded to them.

**"So we have a deal?"** Jet said extending his hand, Katara looked at it and nodded, **"Deal…"** Sokka said for her, and took Jet's hand.

**"But if you put those kids in danger trying to get back at one of those slavers…"** Sokka warned,

**"Believe me…"** Jet said, **"They'll gets what's coming to them….and I'm not resting until all those kids are safe."**

* * *

Aang awoke, he was still in the hay loft he had been in when he'd somehow managed to fly high enough above the storm to navigate away from it. He'd then soared aways from the mountain, then allowed the wind to carry them as they went down, he saw a barn amidst the green fields of the valley bellow and made for one of the open windows in it. That was all he remembered.

He had rescued Ty Lee…he had actually done it, she was there with him in the hay loft, holding onto him as if he were a stuffed animal…he had to admit that was…very nice, especially when he realized he too was holding onto her, and she didn't seem to mind as she breathed in and out with her eyes shut.

Suddenly he had a flash back, Feihzu…the child slaver, dead. He had killed him, he had done it to defend Ty Lee but he had killed him, The Avatar had taken a life, him…he had done it, **"I can't do this…"** he said to himself.

**"Cannot do what?"** Came a voice, he opened his eyes again and saw Master Roku above him, he was no longer in the hay loft but on his knee's on the mountain again, the sky was clear and there was no more rain, but it definitely was the mountain of Ghosts.

**"Master why did you teach me how to bend lightning?"** He asked ashamed, looking at the ground. **"I'm not worthy to be the Avatar…"**

Roku looked down at him, **"I had you taught to bend lightning because I knew in the battle ahead, it is that form of life with which you will learn the secret behind the bending of all the elements, it would be how you saved your own life….and in turn the life of many….including that of your friend who is dear to you."**

Aang looked up, **"It's too much power, I'm not supposed to kill…"**

Roku had a look of pondering, **"Had he not so defiantly held onto his chain to try to harm you, he would have survived, you were directing the lighting into the mountain, into that chain because they were attracting it, along with yourself, he made the choice to hold on…and so…the life that went in him, took his own."**

**"Because he wasn't ready to bear it…"** Aang finished, remembering Bushu the Eel-Seals' words. **"But…"** Aang said.

**"What would have happened had you not done what you did Aang…"** Roku asked.

Aang looked down, **"I could've found another way…."** Aang said.

**"The lightning would not have waited for you to come up with one…it needed to be satisfied with the life that was in you….and Ty Lee…and the metal of Feihzu's weapon."**  
Roku pointed out,

**"You must realize…going through your mind, WAS another way…you were sacrificing yourself…to be the rod for the lightning to go through, not knowing if you could be a strong enough channel for it to go into the mountain through, nor into the chain, had you not held the chain…Ty Lee may have been forfeit as it reached out to be one with life likened to itself…"**

Aang looked up, **"So….I chose Ty…over him…"** Aang said. **"Still…"**

Roku cut in again, **"What every Avatar that has walked this earth has ever done….and what you have done…is do their best….I did not do mine when I was alive to stop Sozin…what you have done is proven that you can do yours…when the time comes…"**

Aang looked up into the face of his master, **"Because I'm some…god…able to pick and choose who I see fit?"**

Roku just looked into this conflicted face with his understanding, unwavering one, **"Because you love…and it is with love….that you will bend hearts….and it is in the heart…that your battles…will be won…."**

Aang looked shocked, Love? What did love have to do with it…Ty Lee….he...he did, he loved Ty Lee…in that moment…among all the chaos, the danger, the panic, the confusion…the fear, he knew…he loved her….too much to allow her to die on that mountain…she was the life…that he had to nourish in his heart…

**"I love…her?"** Aang said in realization more than questioning.

Suddenly the vision was over, he was in the hay loft again, Ty Lee had woken up and was rubbing her eyes and smiled at him. **"Good morning…"** she said sweetly.

Aang just looked at her, **"What?"** Ty Lee asked getting up on her side a little, Aang smiled finally…very slowly.

**"Nothing…" **he said. Picking a strand of straw out of her hair he repeated… **"Nothing at all…"**


	15. Chapter 15

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Brago _

Several years earlier

* * *

**"Faster! Harder…Good Brago….your leaving yourself open…focus more!"**

Master Piando swung his sword around in a flurry, Brago (Bray-go) did his utmost to block what he could, he dove for his Master when he saw an opening but it was easily by past and recompensed with a swift slice to his head, he rolled out of the way in time, as awkward as it was to do with the padding still on. He heard the metal of his master's sword hit the cobblestone of the court yard arena behind him and he swung his sword at his master's feet, at the same time jumping up to be in a defensive stance. He struck at where Piando's leg would be setting down to keep him on one foot then attacked again, but skillfully, Piando continued to parry his blows while still on one leg.

He waited for Piando to put his foot down, that would be when he attacked with full force he knew, he just had to get his mind around how to prepare from the numerous ways he would do that, he could see in the Master's eyes he was pleased he was calculating this, he'd learned to read his master's face as he read all of his pupil's. All he'd known from living with his Father was scowling, so he'd learned to differentiate what scowls meant what. When he had told master Piando this, he seemed amused and said that he would put this to good use, learning how to read an opponent's next move in the heat of the battle by the tells in their eyes.

In a flash the dive came, he planted both his feet on the ground and twirled at Brago, he turned and dove himself bringing this sword over his head and behind his back as he moved past his master going the opposite direction then brought his full body around in a sweep to his master's shoulder guard. It met with a clang against the ready sword of his master who was also turned around, but almost hit the padding by an inch, it wasn't that ready. **"Good, Brago…" **he said his face still focused but clearly pleased.

Brago smiled and ignored the sweat trickling down his face and tickling his chin as it came to where his head guard padding hugged his jaw. Suddenly they heard a clapping, he looked to the right slightly to see the butler of Piando on the balcony above them overlooking the training courtyard.

**"Sir, your carriage is awaiting…"** the butler said.

Brago's face changed from the slight smirk it had had before and looked at his master disappointedly. His master also looked irked,** "I had rather hoped you could hit me at least once more before you had to leave…"** he admitted.

Brago glanced at the nick in Piando's side armor that he had made with the tip of his sword, this time Piando had said he wouldn't let him strike him if he could help it, but he intended for him to hit him anyway. Brago knew he could've done it this time, but he had taken his time in planning his maneuvers and it had cost him. His father hated that…, now a days knwoing his father hated something he did would please him, but…still, he was disappointing himself at the same time.

Brago sighed and relaxed the tension he had on his and his Masters blade and backed up as his Master did the same.

They bowed, stretched their swords out as they rose and sheathed them as they pointed their tips towards their sheaths in a fluid motion.

**"Promise you'll keep up your training in the Earth Kingdom colonies…"** Piando said standing up right.

Brago smiled at his teacher, **"Only if you keep teaching…"** he said, **"I want to finish this fight when I return…"**

**"You won't let an old man retire?"** Piando said raising a brow and smiling.

**"Don't think you would if you wanted too…"** Brago said, **"You want this fight finished as much as I do…"**

Piando glanced at his butler who bowed to them seeing they wanted a moment and returned into the house.

**"Maybe so…"** he said, **"But what I want more is for you to continue more than this fight where you're going…"**

Brago looked down a little, he knew what his master meant.

**"I choked..."** he said, **"It cost me the fight…I lost."**

Brago looked at his Master who raised his hand up for them to begin walking up the stairs as he took of his head gear.

**"You didn't choke…you took your time and calculated…if you have more patience then your opponent, you can outlast them by feeling more comfortable in the fight, planning up to one big finisher while keeping your eyes on your foes moves…and this was practice...as you fight more you'll learn to fight quicker..."**

Brago walked up the steps with his master, **"And technically speaking…"** Piando said, **"You didn't lose…for that to happen I'd of had to have beaten you, a draw simply means that the true winner is undetermined till it's finished."**

Brago smiled a bit, **"Your defiantly Iroh's friend…"** he said.

Piando smiled himself, **"General Iroh's a wise man…you'd do well to heed his words even more than mine…"**

Brago remembered his talks with Iroh and his son, Lu Ten who had...showed him if anything how life was supposed to be between a father and a son, before then all he'd known was his father's method, which was cold and hard...even before his mother passed and he remarried his step mother. Ever since his mother died though, Brago'd almost been on a campaign to live against his father's ways. He'd always been a quiet boy, a boy of thought before action, sometimes without action at all, and it vexed his father who was all about TAKING, and aggressiveness. Knowing that his own nature aggrivated his father made him want to live it up all the more, especially as he spent more time with Iroh and Lu Ten, just to see what it was like having a good relationship was like.

He also saught to not let his step-sister Clera, who had innocently never had a cruel father till her mother married Zhao, be tarnished by his manner. He may not have been much of a conversationist, but he knew how to listen, and would often encourage her whenever thier father barked at her to _Speak when spoken too, never to question him…have no ambition outside of what your place is."_ or some other such triffle. He'd often said that they had switched roles, his son had become as timid as his daughter _should_ be acting.

Still Brago persisted, taking philosophy and history instead of majoring war craft, choosing swordplay as his only form of fighting like a sport, as if he were to become a chronicler or historian, even though that was not his intention such a thing for a general's son such as Zhao's would be an embarresment to his leniage. The result in this was Brago being _graduated _to go to the Earth Kingdom's collonies as a footman when he turned 15. Iroh had suggested him to Piando, a swordsman who had taught Lu Ten, one who he had said would make him a master fencer. It had been almost a year training with him, and this would be his last lesson.

**"Your way of fighting…is like your way of living…."** Piando went on as they came to the foot of the stairs that looped around the balcony leading to the house's entrance,

**"You look at things logically without letting the logic impede all your judgment, you question matters even ones you believe in….that will aid you in making tough decisions, even in making you a captain someday…"**_"_Brago took off his own head gear, and wiped the sweat out of his face letting his long hair fall past his shoulders again.

**"Generals and Captains are made by making tough decisions in the spur of the moment…"** he said, **"Know all the right things already, then move on them….I over think things…it's one of the reasons I think father doesn't stand me….I even critique his methods."**

Piando didn't even acknowledge the remark, **"In the battle field yes, time is of the essence, but in matters of the heart, you don't take time to slow things up, you do it to give it all the attention it deserves so the decision isn't one wasted…."**

Brago took all of his equipment off and put it in the basket reserved for sparing apparatus. **"Well I think time would be wasted if I got my things on…"** he said regarding he was only in his sparing tunic and he would need to look official for his voyage.

Piando smiled, **"Go in good health…"** Piando said. Brago bowed to his Master and walked upstairs to change into his soldier's uniform. Piando groaned, **"Now I must attend to yet another student…one who unlike you is too sure of himself as the spirits gift to swordsmanship…"**

Brago knew who he meant, Kairont, he was like many of Piando's students that came, wanting to basically add him to their repertoire of masters they had bested.

He honestly wished he could stay to see his Master best him and utterly embarrass him…again, but he had to go…or he would keep his Father waiting, well actually, he'd keep his boat waiting…he'd already violated his Father's curfew.

When Brago arrived at his house, he saw his mother and step sister waiting for him. **"Hello mother…hello Clera"** he said. His mother smiled a little and his sister Clera smiled more broadly then she had been, only just 11, he still remembered what a bubbly thing she used to before she came to live with him and father, and how she rarely smiled now, and how he for some reason was the one person besides mother she genuinely smiled at.

**"Did I miss father?"** Brago asked stepping out of the carriage.

His mother shook her head,

**"He ended up not coming home…"** his sister Clera said. **"Probobly something urgent…"** their mother put in, **"He'll be there to see you off after the ceremony though I'm sure…"** she said.

**"What did his scowl say?"** Brago asked, half acknowledging her statement.

**"It said he was happy about something…"** Clera replied, knowing what he meant by it because she had also learned to understand what frowns meant what.

Their mother quickly changed the subject, as she always did when regarding their father, she would never admit any faults of his…

**"You must be tired from your session…"** she said referring to his last minute request duel with Piando.

**"Are you sure you'll be ready for the send off this Afternoon?"** she asked.

Brago grinned but stood up straight a soldier should with his heals together, **"More than ready ma'am…last minute warm only puts one's mind in the game that much more…"**

She liked seeing and hearing him sound like a soldier, for what it was worth it made her proud to see.

**"Well should we get going?..."** Brago said with his hands behind my back. **"Are you sure you don't want to wash first or…"** my mother was starting to say.

**"I already did at Master Piando's house…"** Brago replied shutting his eyes and wishing she hadn't acted so motherly outside. One of their servants came outside holding some of his bags.

**"Everything is ready as requested sir…"** the man said. **"Thank you Findo…" **Brago said.

**"I have to confess it will not be the same scurrying about the house doing chores without your facial expressions hinting at whats needed..." **the little man said, he was shorter then Brago even with him only being a normal sized 15 year old himself.

Brago smiled, **"You take good care of my mother and Clera understood?"** he said with a tone of seriousness.

The man grinned **"I give you my word sir…."** His mustache that nearly covered all of his upper lip curled up as he said so.

Brago smiled in return, Findo had been serving his father's family for generations, and he knew he would too his utmost, look out for his step sister who would not be around to protect anymore.

**"I'll see you at the ceremony Findo…"** he said. He opened the carriage door for his mother and sister, then looked once more at his old home.

* * *

2 months earlier from the present: Li-Kie Fei Fire Nation Colony

**"Keep your head up man!"** Brago yelled to the Fire bending student before the assembly. "If you want a controlled flame you need to make sure you can see where it goes, you wouldn't punch a man without looking where you were swinging would you?"

The young boy dove and kicked out with his left foot out of the dive making a fire stream that jetted out with the motion of his leg, the other student jumped out of the way but remained off balance. The student from before stood up now and began punching with his left and right fists, making a flurry of fire bending at the boy. The boy who had gotten off balance bent the fire out of the way and waited for the him to get closer then did a back flip kicking out with his foot as he did so, sending a sending a stream of fire towards the first student.

The co-instructor Feng bent the fire so it didn't hit the boy, who fell over on his back. **"ENOUGH!"** he called and both boys stood up at attention.

**"If you wish to be caught off guard, always have your mind on the one person you want to burn…"** Brago said, **"Don't think about all the other possible ways it could be a lure….just go in head first…"**

The student who had lost frowned, "In the heat of battle how are we supposed to think of everything at once?"

The rest of the students in the dojo murmered to each other as they sat cross-legged. "It's not a matter of slowing down…" Brago said stepping out on to the mat and looking at a place where it was still burning a bit.

**"It's a matter of not exhausting yourself, and not going to fast that you waist all your energy in the one attack…"**

He unsheathed his wooded training sword and swung it at the flame and the tip caught it so that it too now glowed like a candle on the point.

**"See this fire?"** Brago said, **"It's going to consume my sword if I let it…"** his co-instructor Feng stood at his side.

**"Your adrenaline and chi work the same way…"** Feng said. **"Your bending will not die out…"** he waved his hand and the flame hissed going out like someone had dropped water on it.**"Your energy will…"**

The class murmured again.

**"The point of this lesson is…what do you do when your adrenaline and energy is all spent on your initial attack…"** Brago said. **"How do you conserve the heart of your fire…whether you're using weapons or actual fire, to stand the test of a fight, even if it takes longer than usual…?"**

He sheathed his weapon again, **"These are questions you must answer yourself if you wish to be a Fire Nation soldier or guard or even policeman…"** he glanced at his female student Florai,** "or woman…"**

The two boys nodded but the beaten one didn't look convinced, although he stood erect still with his hands behind his back.

**"Should we show them Brago?"** Feng asked smiling.

Brago smirked, **"Well if it benefits the bias of my favorite students then yes…."** He said stepping to the middle of the mat.

Feng followed, and the two boys stood back towards the edge of the matt, they knew better then to sit down without being excused to do so.

Feng dropped into squatting position yelling a **"KAI!"** and began firing his fists and Brago in a furry likened to who boy from before, Brago was like lightning and swung his sword out dodging the flames as he stepped towards him instead of away. He wacked Feng's wrist loud enough to hear a knock, and the class winced, and Feng without stopping swung his arm around to throw a flame at Brago's head. Brago was already dipping his head down and as he turned himself around fluidly he swung his sword at Fengs ankles tripping him and brought the sword to his throat after tapping his other wrist.

The class _"oooh'd _and _"aaawwe'd"_ in wonder at the quickness of the fight and the two boys just stood there mouths gaping.

**"You see that?"** Feng said as if nothing had happened at all, **"In those quick moves he would've taken my arm, hand and both my feet…all cause I dove in thinking my bending would be enough for the fight."**

Brago smiled down at his co-instructor, **"Believe me, in an actual fight he'd best me, but he was demonstrating for you how quick your mind has to be in a fight…pre-thinking a fight is the tedious part, but it makes the quick execution all the more invincible…"** He helped Feng up.

Feng brushed himself out, **"You may bow out…"** he said. The boys did so and sat down with the rest of the awe struck students.

**"The benders in the Earth kingdom we all reside in are sturdy…and their element unlike ours is literally all around them, they have no need to focus to make it appear for them to use, and no scarcity of it to run out of…they WILL bide their time and await an opening, which is why you must keep them moving the same way Shen kept Ri moving here…"**

The two boys, Shen and Ri looked at each other. **"I teach many other students, a lot older then yourselves…"** Brago said beginning to walk. **"Ones that are already soldiers…"**

Feng nodded, **"Just cause he doesn't bend doesn't mean he doesn't know how to handle himself, he's beaten many a Fire bender in a duel with just his weapons."**

Brago smirked then looked at the class frontally, **"Who here thinks they know how I got my scar?"** He asked pointing to the line that went down the side/middle of his forehead past behind his right eye down to his ear.

One of the students raised their hands, **"An earth bender who bided his time?"** Brago shook his head, **"No."** and kept walking, another shot her hand up, **"Yes?"** he asked.

**"Did you get those stitches from another swordsman in battle?"**she asked. Brago looked at Feng who raised his eye brows impressed.

**"You're the closest Kirot…"** he said, **"Actually I got this here in this dojo, training to be a sergeant…"**

the class hummed.

**"Was it a student?"** one of the boys asked raising his hand. **"No it was an instructor, he taught me how if I learned to avoid getting cut here on the mat, I would never be cut in battle nearly as easily or even at all."**

One of the students piped up, **"has it worked?"**

Brago looked at the boy, **"For the most part, yes."**

Feng stood now alongside Brago with his hands behind his back and whispered in his ear.

He glanced at the door and his face changed, **"Kei-hei VA!"** he yelled and the class stood at attention.

**"Dismissed…"** he said just as loud and the class belted their dismissal and bowed to their two instructors then ran out the door.

Brago past by one of the other older students who were higher up in rank, **"Clean the mats and change them out…"** he said without looking at him. The student bowed and rushed to do so, Brago walked by several students, and soldiers coming through.

He finally came to his study in the back of the dojo to see two legs propped up on his desk from a chair…seated in which was the Fire Nation Princess Azula.

He stood at attention out of courtesy, **"Your grace…"** he said.

**"Sergeant Brago…"** Azula said, **"That's quite a class you teach out there…"**

Feng now came into the room.

**"I hope that you teach your men with more….vigor and less optimism.."** she remarked.

Feng spoke up, **"Oh believe me he knows how to make young benders look at him with respect…"** he corrected himself quickly afterwards adding to it: **"Your grace…"**

Azula stood up now in a fluid motion and walked up to Brago.

**"Really…."** She said, **"Could he make me respect him?"** she asked. Brago looked at her piercing expression with equal intensity, but less emotion, simply showing that he wasn't the sort to blink or look away in the face of a threat. She liked that.

**"I think that's highly irrelevant, you're not my student…your highness."** Brago said arms still behind his back.

Azula raised her brow, not moving her half frown half inquisitive look from his face. **"Bold words…yet not informal…your defiantly Zhao's son…"** she said walking by him now. That made him wince a little, that was a low blow, she had to have known that, and why? Just to make him blink?

She walked over to a set of charts, **"You…train your men with…position, get whats best and focus on it till its better then that…admirable strategy, my grandfather would've approved."**

**"Flattering statement ma'am…"** Brago said keeping his eyes straight, Azula looked through the charts. **"You were given a run through of the new air machines then?"** she said jumping tracts apparently.

Feng looked at Brago with his peripheral vision, but Brago returned his glance of not knowing what she was getting at either.

**"It was mandatory for all Majors, Sergeants, and above class soldiers to know its workings, why?"** Brago asked.

**"You also know the area of the Earth kingdom well, being one of the first and youngest stationed here to know the lay of the land…"** She went on, half asking.

Brago sighed and nodded, **"I was and am your grace…"** he indulged her all the more, he was good at letting people trickle off his non-caring manner when he wasn't interested but something about her was just…like a porcu-pig….

**"You may leave us now…."** Azula said to Feng as she looked over one of the charts holding it up to the window light.

Feng looked at Brago as if to say, **"You're on your own"** and bowed, **"Your highness…"** he said, then exited.

Azula turned around, **"I'll make it simple…"** she said.** "Finally…"** Brago thought.

**"You are formally being requested to aid in the quest for the Avatar…"** she said putting the chart behind her back.

Brago's eyes shifted a little from shock at the request. **"Your grace…"** he asked to make sure this wasn't meant for something else.

**"Your efficient, calculating, and good at implementing and imparting that to your men…I'm doing my best to bust them into shape myself but I don't have the time to do that and attend to catching the avatar myself."** She went on.

Brago watched her stride to his table, **"The Avatar is moving, moving fast, it's my guess that while he was in the desert, the actually uncovered the great library…"**

Brago's eyes lit up, the great library's raid was one of the exploits his father Zhao was most famous for.

**"Your highness?"** he said try not to let onto his bewilderment.

**"A scribe from an Earth Kingdom university said that his friend had gone with a group to seek out the great library in his last personal log he sent to him by pigeon-hawk." **Azula went on,

**"..we _Know_ the Avatar returned, whether the scribe did is beyond us, or our concern…even though your father destroyed the knowledge there regarding our history and defense, we can only assume he took information from there, possibly our weaknesses…"**

She unraveled the chart behind her back on the table, **"…He's heading for Ba Sing Se…"**

Brago cut in, **"To bring them information of our weakness and plan for a scourge of our forces from the Earth Kingdom…"**

Azula looked at him, **"And with him leading their forces their resolve will be unimaginable, an Avatar on ones side is greater than having an actual spirit giving you strength to these fools, they've hoped and prayed for him and now when he has an army at his near reach, he appears."**

Brago leaned on the desk with his knuckles, **"Prophetic…"** he said. Azula scoffed, **"Nothing we haven't dealt with before…we'll snuff it out just as we did his people years ago…fate is what we make it, and the Fire Nation makes theirs the greater."**

Brago leaned up, **"So I'm told…"** he said.

Azula shot a glance at him, **"Don't tell me your as superstitious as my addled uncle..."** she said.

**"He'll head for the Wong-Sho pass…"** Brago said looking at the map instead. **"There's a band of Kehoshi warriors heading that way though…"** he said. **"We nearly caught them but they're impressively allusive."**

Azula glanced at him,** "Your saying you accept the request?"** Brago looked up at Azula, or rather down, he was after all taller than her as well as older, but still her presence made as if he were looking up at her.

**"I'm helping our Nation well enough here aren't I?"** Brago said, **"Making our ground troops here more efficient so that we can move swifter and win more battles in the cities that our giving us trouble…"**

Azula folded her arms, **"And conquer Ba Sing Se eventually with a great army you helped to rear up…?"** Azula said.

Brago's mouth trapped shut. She smirked.

**"Don't be coy…I know you've had an ambition to fell that city ever since my late cousin Lu Ten put it in your head to do so one day…"**

Brago tensed but did his utmost to show it, she was digging her talons into him, she wanted a reaction out of him that he had denied her before, she needed to know she could manipulate him…like his father.

**"His loss was a great tragedy…"** she said **"And since then you've sought to reclaim what was nearly ours in the battle of Ba Sing Se by improving our forces…perhaps become a head tactician? A Captain, or perhaps general…?"** she began walking around him.

**"6 years is it…? After coming to this rock of Kingdom…teaching an academy of children and foot soldier platoons, with men much older then you answering to you…you could be doing so much more for your Nation…stop reclaiming cities one by one and conquer the city you've dreamed of conquering before it has a chance to ruin all you've done with a child at the head of their ranks….if you really wanted to live up to your father…or whatever intention you have towards his memory…"**

Brago stiffened shutting his eyes briefly, she'd get him to either accept or utterly ruin it for himself, he remained calm.

**"…When should I prepare to leave?"** He asked. **"Immediately…"** Azula said almost as soon as he'd finished the question.

**"I'll inform Feng he'll be taking over for me here…he'll have to find another solider to be the drill sergeant for our young soldiers…"** he mulled over, and Azula grinned.

**"For the glory of the Fire Nation then…"** she said. He bowed to her, **"Your highness."** He said then turned to exit.

**"Once again…my condolences your Father couldn't be here to see this…"** Azula said.

Brago smiled a little, **"And I that your uncle and brother have finally learned to get along that much more…"** he shut the door not having to look to know her face had utterly shifted from coyness to distain.

The next day at the air ship rest point where they stopped for supplies, everyone was busy loading water into the boiler tanks, and oiling the necessary parts of the propellers. The men he passed by that were under him by rank stood at attention as he passed by. He was in full armor, helmet under his arm, with his own specialized sword at his hip.

It was a custom-made double bladed katana, double in the sense that there were two blades rather than one, parallel from each otther as they portruded from the hilt.

_(if you know advent children the dvd, it looks like Kadaj's sword, google what it looks like for refernce)._

He glanced around at the supplies going in and out from the stables and warehouses into the flagship.

**"So…"** he heard from the side. **"You made it…"** he glanced to the side to see Azula and several other girls following her as she approached him, one of them he profoundly recognized.

**"Princess Azula…."** He said bowing, then looked up **"Mai…?"** he asked. Mai's eyes moved a little to show her own shock at seeing him, then returned to their usual bored passiveness. **"This him?"** she said folding her arms. The girl to Azula's left with a long pony tail tied in pink grinned unbelievably big...oh no…one of THOSE kinds of girls...

**"OH so you're the swordsy person they talk about!" **She said energetically,** "You know Mai right? From before? She said she hadn't really thought that much about you ti- "**

Suddenly he saw Mai shoot an unconventionally upset glare at Ty Lee making her clasp her hands about her mouth, still giggling a bit. Azula rolled her eyes and put her hands behind her back,

**"..Sergeant Brago, please meet Mai of the Jiin family, and Ty Lee…she's our grease woman, the girl can get into unimaginable area's and still be as deadly as a blade, without a blade..or bending…that should impress you.", **she said.

Brago bowed to the girls, **"Indeed it does…"** he said, **"And yes I do know Mai from before…"** she said returning his look at Mai who was now purposefully looking in another direction.

**"We were in the same academy back in the Fire Nation…."** He said, **"I think it's been….6 years right…"**

Mai maid a disgruntled sound and continued surveying the cargo being loaded intentionally, **"If it's your idea of a good time to count the years between classmates, I guess so…"**

Azula cleared her throat and everyone paid attention to her once again.

**"So now that we're all acquainted…let's get to the business of finding a spirit puppet…"** she said.

**"A what what-what?"** the girl named Ty Lee asked, **"She means the Avatar you dumby…"** Mai said turning to go along with Azula who was making her way towards the air ship.

Brago straightened up until the ladies had all turned around to walk towards it then made his way behind them.

**"He's cute…."** He could hear the named Ty Lee say to Mai in a whisper…which had he not been straining to hear he wouldn't have. Mai just walked faster, **"Ugh…please…" **she said in her way that sounded like a forced exhale, he'd forgotten how she could do that. Now however…she wasn't the 11 year old who had followed him around…now she was easily 16 or 17…and…..well he honestly wasn't expecting her.

* * *

_Present day_

Brago flew his air-glider through the mountain spires, avoiding the rock shafts as best he could, Azula was right, there was little hope the girl had made it this far, especially by herself. Suddenly he thought he smelt something on the wind…it wasn't the smell of mountain air…or even an animal, it was definite odor of…smoke.

He immediately began piloting his glider in the direction of where he'd smelt it, What could be burning at this altitude? Lightning…right….lightning setting fire to a mountain bush…riiiight, a burning bush that the rain hadn't put out….

He flew the glider more evenly along the canyon looking portions of the mountain, and the smell got more and more distinct.

He glanced at the spire to his right and saw it was most secluded, but that wasn't fog as it hit his face, where was the flame though? He glided over the spire to get a closer look and saw that there was fire coming from inside a hole in the top of the mountain, a chimney? Sure enough blackish smoke was emanating from holes in the sides of the mountain, then turning grey as they went into the open air…he landed his glider at a flat area near one of the smoky openings that looked big enough to go through, he unsheathed his sword and peered in with his cloak held over his face and nose.

Bellow the mountain, Mai was peering out over the railing of the fire nation flagship. **"Are you waiting for someone Mai?"** she heard a voice say.

Mai didn't need to turn around to recognize it was Azula's. She sighed, **"Not for anyone who's coming…"** she said lying.

Azula walked up to the railing next to her, **"Listen about earlier…"** she said. **"I get it…"** Mai cut in, **"We can't changed what happened regardless right? Why take time away from the mission…."**

Azula couldn't tell if Mai meant that, or if she was just rambling off what she'd already been told for the sake of repeating it.

**"If…"** Azula started, **"There was some way I could do things over…"** Mai's eyes widened a smidge, she had never heard Azula say that heartfelt.

Suddenly the bell went out signaling a glider returned to the air ship. **"Oh one of the scouts were back…"** Mai said.

**"I never approved of any outgoing routes…"** Azula said. Her and Mai made their way up to the top level where the gliders were hung up, they saw Brago climbing out with…ash covered armor.

**"Where did you go?"** Azula said utterly surprised, and upset that something had gone on without her know how.

**"Did you find anything?"** Mai blurted out, Azula shot a glance at her. Brago coughed a bit and stood at attention,

**"I did…an underground tunnel way leading through the mountains…"** he said. Azula and Mai's eyes grew,

**"It's abandoned…"** he continued. **"How do you know?"** Azula said.

**"It was in flames…"** Brago said, **"Something within the fortress caught fire and engulfed it inside and out."**

Mai's heart sunk a little then rose again, **"So you didn't find anything…"** she said again. Brago looked at Mai.

**"I did find this…"** he revealed a tattered piece of cloth that was grey with mountain dirt, but had a lasting hint of pink underneath it all.

Azula nearly snatched it, **"This is Ty Lee's!"** she said at the same time as Mai.

**"It's a hair band of some sort..." **Brago commented.

**"…you think she was lost in the fire?"** Mai asked.

Azula looked over the band, **"It's not ash...its dust..."** she said.

He shook his head, **"I found this at the foot of the mountain…"** he said, "...**right where it ended and went down into wooded valley 5 miles from here…"**

Mai looked up from the piece, **"You think she could still be alive?"**

Brago looked at her,** "and close…"** he said coughing his last words.


	16. Chapter 16

**Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations**

_Terms _

Katara glanced Jet as they made their way through the wilderness just outside the woods, she couldn't believe the situation they were in.

Aang was out there, somewhere dying for all they knew…something she had something to do with for being too scared, and now Jet shows up and takes them for all they know in the other direction of where he could be. To top it off, they do it because an innocent group of children were conveniently in the custody of evil villains that lived in a mountain lair and needed to be rescued. If it were anymore cliché, there a boat filled with widows and orphans on fire somewhere. She didn't say this fo course but she was thinking it an awful lot. It wasn't that she didn't believe Jet's story, she had to admit that there was something different about him…his manner, his talk, he wasn't the same Jet that had yelled "traitor" at them for sparing a village of people in a mad quest to drown out some Fire Nation soldiers.

Smellerbee kept a wary eye on Toph, who continued to walk on not noticing her attitude, or at least not acknowledging it. "Paint a picture…" Toph said finally, "It'll last longer…" Smellerbee growled and made her way towards her but Longshot shook his head at her.

"Fine fine…" she said to him. "You don't have to put it like that….gosh…"

* * *

Meanwhile in a farm cottage miles away, Ty Lee was just getting out of the barn her and Aang had slept in. She stretched as she opened the barn door wide and let the sun hit her with closed eyes. Even with her eyes closed she could see the glow of the sun make her eye lids brighter, and felt the change as the warmth cloaked her head and foot. She turned in a full circle letting it fully bath her back and front, then winced as she felt a cramp from the night before….actually what had happened the night before?

"Aang?" she asked looking over her shoulder to the hay loft she had climbed down from, "Aang?..." he was no longer there.

Had he woken up or just fallen into one of the hay bails…

She walked back into the barn with the light from outside shining in this time, lighting the inside of the barn for a distance.

"Aang?" she asked again. Suddenly she saw a strand of straw fall by her face, she caught it and looked up.

She looked up to see Aang sitting on one of the beams high above her, looking out of the roosters perch at the outside, with the light hitting him from its opening at the top. "Aang!"she called up happy to see him.

"Hi Ty Lee…" he said.

"Oh my gosh! Aang you did it, you really did it!" she said jumping up and down, "You got us off the mountain and you saved my life and…"

She flipped herself up midsentence to hop aboard one of the beams closest to her.

"And you beat those slavers up…and you OH GOSH THE LIGHTNING!" she added excitedly climbing the last beam before his own…

Aang however wasn't moving, "You moved the lightning…and you-….Aang…?" she said noticing this.

Aang looked back around to see her face, concerned for him. He just smiled, "Hi…" he said.

"Hi…" Ty Lee said, flipping to his next beam and hoisted herself up, sitting next to him on the wooden perch. "What is it?" she asked. Aang just looked back out the opening to outside where the sun was climbing over the mountains and shining in the barn.

"My whole life…" he said, "I've been in the wrong place at the wrong time…" he said. Ty Lee scooted next to him.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I ran from my responsibilities…." He said, "I did it again when I didn't come back to my friends when I was supposed to…now they're probably hurt or trying to save me….I abandoned them like I abandoned my people…and…I keep making wrong choices…like on the mountain…and…"

Ty Lee put her hand on his, "Stop it right now…" she said sharply. Aang stopped.

"You're far greater than that…" she said.

"Ty Lee…." Aang protested.

"No!" Ty Lee said, "I'm not letting you torment yourself like I did…" he shut up.

"Aang I was here to capture you…to through you in prison and leave you for dead…" she said.

"You rescued me…you didn't have to, but you did cause your sweet, and kind and good and amazing…" Aang looked at her.

"You promised you would and you did, and you protected me when I wasn't worth saving…I don't know if that's a wrong decision you're talking about….but in my book….your an amazing….incredible person Aang…"

Aang looked at Ty Lee for the first time in the eyes since she'd come up.

"Ty Lee…" he started.

"You…didn't just save me from the mountain…." She said, "You…got me off my own mountain…"

Aang got quiet again.

She put her hand on his cheek, the moment she did he could feel heat all through his body, and his heart beat ten times faster as if he was channeling lightning again.

"I can't betray…" he said out loud without thinking…

She took her hand back, "Betray who?" Ty Lee said, then had a look of understanding, "You think being friends with me is betraying your peoples' memory?..." she said looking away and scooting away a little.

Aangs eyes shot open wide, "NO No!" Aang said. "It's not that!" he said.

Ty Lee looked at him, "What did you mean?" she asked, fiddling with her long, messed up hair pony tail.

Aang looked down, he meant he couldn't betray Katara….but, she didn't love him…..so why'd he feel so guilty?...

Suddenly there was a scream heard from behind them, and the sound of Kangaroo-hounds was resounding through the barn.

"YOU DANG KIDS! GET OUTTA MY BARN!" came the voice.

Aang and Ty Lee nearly fell off their beam and turned around to see a big farmer with a brimmed basket hat and a jaw that looked like it could split wood, glaring at them. His hounds were jumping from box to box to try to climb up to their level.

Suddenly he bent rock from the floor.

"We're sorry!" Aang started, but before he could continue he saw the rocks, very large ones being bent from the earth and soaring at them.

"No damn Gypsy's gonna get my crops!" he spat and threw the rock at them full force, making a hole in the ceiling.

Ty Lee yelped in surprise at the sheer closeness.

"We aren't gypsy's!" Aang protested, swinging himself around the beam to avoid another rock soaring through the air and embedding itself in the wooden roof.

Suddenly the Kangaroo-hounds were nearly to their level in the loft.

"Ya ain't gonna steal my crops again!" the man promised making his way to the latter with a rock in tow on his back.

Aang grabbed Ty Lee's hand, "He won't listen…" Ty Lee said.

"I know…" Aang said and put her on his back. "Don't let go!" he said, Ty Lee didn't refuse…and he ran towards the open window and jumped out. TY Lee held on, knowing what he was doing, and to her prediction he spun his glider out of seemingly nowhere and activated its glide function. Soon they were zooming over the lush green land almost close enough for Ty Lee to reach down and touch. She smiled at Aang as they soared, holding on tighter, for dear life…and for something else…

* * *

Katara ran with Jet, he had given her a dark cloak and a mask, one like the one he was wearing, hunched down behind some bushes.

She was helping him spy on a water out post by the town of Bon-Fei, it was supposedly where the drop was going to be made.

"So tell me again….why are we scouting this area out?" Katara asked. Jet looked at her putting two fingers up meaning shush, Katara grumbed.

Suddenly Jet heard something, he motioned for her to get down,

Katara did so along with him and they looked under the bushes to see two sets of feet walking by, they were Fire Nation boots.

"Everyone is ready?" came a voice.

Katara didn't beath, Jet put a finger to his mouth behind his mask with a fixed fierce look.

"Everyone is ready my lord…" came another voice.

"Excellent." The other one said cockily….

"We need that…cargo in inter-kingdom waters before sun rise tomorrow…"

"It will be there…." His comrade said.

"It had better be…" the voice retorted, "Have you seen Shen?" came a voice.

"No…haven't seen him…" one of the voices said.

"He was supposed to return after he buried the kid…" came a voice.

Katara's eyes lit up, Jet put up a hand for her to keep still, intense look still on his face.

"Damn clutz…" one of them said, "Probobly got lost…" Well if we can't find him by mid day then we may have to speed up the delivery…"

"Who's going to stop us?" came a voice from the first person who spoke.  
"To much attention to our operation will bring heat on us…." The second voice said.

"Not from the Earth Kingdom you fool…" the last said. "If our supierors know we're cutting deals with the enemy that have inter-kingdom ramifications…it'll be our jobs…or even skin."

Suddenly they heard a major call out, "ALL hands, WE'RE LOADING ANOTHER SET OF CARGO HEADED FOR SERPANTS PASS…"

The men walked away one by one.

Katara continued staring at the feet till they had left, she looked back to Jet, he nodded to her and began army crawling down the line of bushes.

Katara followed, now knowing what Jet was talking about.

* * *

Aang and Ty Lee landed in an open field with tall grass up to their knees. "Whoa…" Aang said, "That was…."

Ty Lee was laughing, Aang couldn't help but smile either,

She began spinning around and around in a circle, Aang smiled at her as she did so…she was just too adorable.

Suddenly she tapped him giggling and back flipped out of it saying "Your it!" like she had done on the mountain.

Aang was so revitalized by being off the great mountain now he found new energy to give chase for a while, laughing in turn.

Finally after running over a few hills he caught her around the waist and they both tumbled over to the bottom of the hill laughing together.

"Oy! You there!" came a voice from the road to the side of them.

Aang and Ty Lee turned slowly. Behind them were several colorfully clad men…and women…one of which were in very brightly colored but also ragged looking attire. The men had earrings, some had piercings or tattoos, and the women were no different, even some of the children had piercings.

"Are you two lost?" One of them said, she was a tall and kind looking woman, she had a tattoo that stretched from her neck to her cheek.

"Um…" Ty Lee started, Aang looked and could see many a wagon behind the group of people, all vibrantly colored. Gypsies…these were gypsies.

Ty Lee bowed to them and said, "Ka- chi- hi-oh toh?" Aang looked at her with a raised eye brow, he had heard that before.

The other gypsies smiled in turn and one of them replied, "Chi-chong-go-ru." Aang finally knew what Ty had said, that was a term in a kind of pig latten among gypsies to alert each other that they were of their own, but how did Ty Lee know it? It was very old.

The other gypsies began walking towards them with bright faces, "My name is Tomel, what is yours?" said one of them, who looked as if he were their leader.

Aang and Ty Lee looked from each other to the gypsies, "Ummmm…." Aang fumbled.

"I…" he started, "Am…Appa…"

"Right, Appa!" Ty Lee said grinning. Aang looked at Ty Lee, "And this is Momo…the…magnificent!" he said quickly throwing the name together.

The gypsies smiled, some still just looked at them curiously

"Your Tattoo…." One of the children in the group before them said, and pointed to Aang's forehead.

Aang's eyes grew a bit, Ty Lee bit her lip.

"Shhh" his mother scolded.

"Don't point, he impersonates the Avatar as part of his act…" the boy nodded in understanding then held onto his mother's leg again.

"Yeeees.." Aang said realizing the blessing that had been put in his lap, "I've been preparing for it my whole life…" he said this part honestly.

"My, my is your band far…?" one of the gypsies said, this one was a large man, in size and height, had a snow white beard, tied in two braids at the bottom portion if it, and his hair in a ponytail.

"Um…yeah, we got separated…" Aang said, "and we aren't quite sure where we are now…" he said truthfully.

"Well then young ones…" the woman from before said, "Come…join us…we are headed to Ba Sing Se to perform within the gates, there's a byway along the way there for our folk to meet and get water before moving on, if there's any word of your band, it would be there."

Ty Lee looked at Aang, he knew she had simply wanted to mask their identities, but going along with them could give them a good camouflage if they encountered any Earth Kingdom guards for her sake, or Fire Nation for his. She nodded finally and he looked to the group.

"Might it be taking us near the Wung Sho Pass?" Aang asked.

She nodded at them both, "Yes…right before heading towards the boats that take passengers to the mainland near the city. Some gypsies go near Serpents Pass, but we cannot stomach the journey, to many Fire Nation blockades along the coast."

Aang looked at Ty Lee again, this was near perfect, he had hoped to arrive at Wung Sho with his friends, hopefully he could meet up with them on the way there. He looked at her with questioning eyes, "Don't ya think we should?" he asked.

Ty Lee thought, she had had many a run in with gypsies during her life in the circus, in fact many of them were gypsies within her band. She also knew that while keeping to themselves mostly, if there was information that was valuable to them on the grape vine, they wouldn't hesitate to squeal it to wanting ears, that were willing to pay.

She nodded,"We'd be honored to go…" she said dropping a performance curtsy. Aang did his best to resemble it.

"You two must be starving…" came a voice from amongst the crowd.

A woman with several earrings in her ears and a pierced bottom lip emerged from the gypsies. Her hair was wrapped in a brightly colored red shawl that hung from her head like a hood to her shoulders.

She produced a basket, filled with breads of different sorts. "Please…eat." She said smiling. "I'm Nira…"

Aang and Ty Lee gaped hungrily at the basket, they hadn't eaten anything since they'd raided the kitchen in the Mountain of Ghosts.

"Maybe just a little…." They both said wide eyed, nearing the basket.

* * *

Sokka and Toph were sitting by some rocks while Smellerbee tossed a knife in the air and back in her hand without looking.

Longshot was looking out from a tree for Katara and Jet who had scouted ahead to see if they could find an opening in the warehouse were the "Cargo" would be kept.

Smellerbee saw Sokka looking at her, she caught the knife again. "What are you looking at long legs?"she hissed threateningly.

Sokka sighed, "Look I think we got off to a bad second start…" he said putting his hands up trying to reason with her.

She huffed and looked another way again, she caught her knife perfectly as it spun in the air down to her, then threw it and it wizzed by Sokka embedding itself in a tree.

"And this looks like it's going to be a bad third one…" Toph said.

Katara and Jet snuck around the building of the warehouse by the docks, their backs were to the wall and they were low as they crept.

Jet was silent as a mouse hare, and quick too, Katara was able to mimic his speed and swiftness in silence, but only barely. She had to confess she liked seeing this…passion in his eyes, geared towards a noble cause again…one that wasn't heartless or blind, maybe he had changed…he had after all offered to help them find Aang…

Suddenly he raised his hand and on cue, she ducked down and backed more against the wall. Someone was coming.

A guard was coming towards the corner they were behind without knowing it, suddenly he looked down and saw a puddle of water growing from around a corner, he frowned a little and walked towards it wondering what was leaking.

As soon as he stepped in it, it suddenly grabbed hold of his leg and yanked him away behind the corner, and something muffled his exclamation before a thud was heard.

Katara and Jet carefully put the guard inside a barrel that they had found, used for food and was conveniently empty. They closed and sealed the lid, Jet looked at Katara with eyes that suggested he was smiling or smirking behind his mask, "Good work!" he said in a hushed tone, and motioned for them to continue down the way.

Finally they could see the docks, Katara could now see that the river that looked like it branched left when coming to the range of mountains, actually forked and went underneath the range, to his area where it filled up the ring like range of rock wall making a bowl like effect before continuing elsewhere underground.

It was in this bowl that the docks they were at were located, overlooking the vast body of water that resembled a lake, even though Katara could tell the water was continuing on under the earth somewhere. Also right down the middle of this bowl was a small narrow peninsula on which were several guard towers, linked together like a suspension bridge, making a sort of fence and separating one half of the bowl from the other. On the other side of the water within the rock wall, was what appeared to be a cave.

"This depot is used mostly for transporting food and other supplies to ships on the open ocean." Jet said.

"It was once a military depot at a time, but now it's used to get supplies to Fire Nation armada's out at sea."

Katara nodded understanding. He pointed to the watch towers on the peninsula now.

"Ferries take supplies from this dock to the island tower where the supply ships themselves dock." He continued, "They know all the due shipments going in and out by carrier pigeon hawk, they make sure nothing goes to the ships that aren't supposed to."

Katara understood, she could see many platforms on the towers, from which one could easily catapult or fire bend any unwanted ship or unfriendly before it could get off the water,

"After they get clear…" he continued "They make their way to that tunnel leading through the mountains…" he said pointing to the cave in the distance that was apparently a tunnel.

"It leads to the ocean…after that, it'll be harder to intercept…" he said, then looked to Katara.

"We need to get to that tower and find out which shipment is going to be the one with the kids going out…"

Katara looked at him, "You need me to get you across the water…" she said.

"With one of us in the tower, staying hidden…" he said, "I can let the rest of you go past so we can actually shang hai the boat before it gets through the tunnel, then we'll just pilot the ship where ever we want on the coast and drop the kids off where they won't be re-apprehended."

Katara thought about this and it made sense, she felt his hand on her shoulder, "And we'll use the boat to travel it looking for Aang too…" he promised.

She smiled, then it faded, "You're going to do more than rescue the children aren't you…" she asked.

His eyes betrayed him and finally he sighed looking down, "With what this port is used for, we should burn it and all their ships to the ash they've reduced our villages too…these ships are filled fluid and with the Fire Nations explosion devices, that's what makes them go without sails…we should turn this whole place into a submerged burial ground…" he said.

Katara had to agree, what was going…didn't deserve mercy here, but those who didn't know what sort of operation was being run here, that they were being played to ship children without knowing it, some of them no older then Jet or her…

Jet saw the hesitancy in her eyes and put a hand on her shoulder, "You know what they've done right?…heard it with your ears…they don't deserve to live after what they've done…"

"We should find out who are the responsible ones…" she said, "The fact they're doing it in such secret means they don't want the rest of the soldiers here to know about it, we should get them, and no one else…we'd be no different from them by killing innocence."

Jet glared almost, not at her as much as what she was saying, "I thought you'd understand…" he said. "The ONE instance where it actually s black and white…and you still refuse to see it…what is it going to take for…!"

"For me to agree it's alright to kill to let off pent up hatred?..." Katara said boldly but in no way easily.

"And that alone…?" she went on. Jet was stopped in the tracks of his sentence, not shocked as much as angry at the shock that she had hit home.

"…My family was ruined by the Fire Nation to Jet…" she said, "But…even though it's just what you're doing…you still won't be killing to free, you'll want a massacre, one to make up for the one done to your family…one as mindless and ruthless as the one you witnessed. It'll destroy you Jet. Mindless massacre won't resolve a previous mindless massacre…even if it feels that way…you can't justify slaughter with slaughter…"

Jet said nothing for a while,

"They ravaged my family…my life….and many others…because we weren't them…..that's all that mattered. They didn't care…which of us were soldiers…or not soldiers…or children…why should I care that they're involved or not….they're Fire Nation…"

Katara didn't say anything, she knew what to say, but didn't want to say it…it would cause too much turmoil in the position they were in and waist time.

"You help me rescue these kids…." Jet said, "Get them to safety….but they're GOING to pay…whoever you and your brother want to save after that's your problem…"

Suddenly someone came, they could hear the footsteps, they dodged around some barrels. The guard walked by, stopped looking at the puddle of water,

Both Katara and Jet remained motionless,

"Hmmm" he said annoyed, "Someone tell the chief his watch Kangaroo-dogs need to be better house trained around the storage area…"

He walked on, both Jet and Katara sighed in relief.

* * *

At the camp site, Ty Lee watched as Aang rock bent to help some of the gypsy men erect a suitable shelter. It was hot and Aang was shirtless as he helped lift some of the heavier beams up for him and the earth bending men to secure in the ground. Where was Aang getting this hidden muscle from? It seemed like whenever he was doing something that required strength all the work outs and training that had had at the temple to make him strong came out as if he were turning his muscles on and off.

She bit her lip watching him, both her hands on the log she was sitting on at her sides, rocking her shoulders back and forth as she watched. Aang saw her and smiled, she smiled too, and pretended not to be nervous…though she couldn't hide her blush. One of the gypsies began carrying planks of wood on his shoulder and murmured for Aang to pick up the pieces that he dropped and place them to the side for later. Aang nodded wiping the sweat off his head and bent down to pick up the wood.

Ty Lee had to admit…him bending down was cute…well that part of him was….suddenly her smile disappeared as she saw the same form of a mischievous and flirtatious smile on the faces of several other girls within the gypsy camp, also checking out Aangs…self.

Suddenly they began walking over to Aang, and her swaying motion on the log she was sitting on stopped, and her smile, turned into a frown…

"Heeeey!" one of the girls said cheerily, she was in blue with a veil that was see through, and many bracelets adorned on her hand. "My name is Lama Su.." she said.

"I'm Neila…" said another, this one was in pink, and had long hair that reached down to the ground literally. Others soon swarmed around him and Aang looked from one girl to the other a little bewildered but politely said

"I'm Appa." with a smile. Ty Lee made fists and her eye brows turned,

"That is SUCH a cute name!" one of the ones in green said and actually put her hand on his shoulder.

That was it!

Ty Lee stood right up and began marching towards them with her jaw cocked. Aang smiled at the girls, "T-hank you?" he said getting a little weirded out by their disregard for personal space.

She began running almost in their direction, even though they didn't seem to notice her coming.

"Did you do these tattoos's yourself? They look so authentic…" one of the girls said and began running her fingers don his tattoo from his shoulder to his elbow.

Quick as a whip Ty Lee had jumped in the middle of them and was side kicking and pressure point punching all of the girls left in right till none were standing as she fumed like a chimney stack.

Suddenly Ty Lee was awoken from this momentary day dream of what she was contemplating doing, and was now standing up off the log to follow through with it, marching towards the girls surrounding Aang.

Aang however saw her coming…and flipping towards them, and his eyes widened, "I have to talk to…." he began pushing as politely as he dared, through the fawning girls, "Momo the magnificent! I'll have to talk to you all later…"

As he said this he pushed past the last girl and caught Ty Lee in mid-air as she prepared to land and spring from the landing at one of the many gypsy girl tweens. He did so making it look like they had rehearsed it, dipping Ty Lee. The girls "Oooooh'd" at him performing such.

"Did you ever perform in a great circus?" one of the girls asked.

"Um….no…." Aang said thinking hard about how to answer,

"But…like Appa said we have to get going…we have many things to talk about…." Ty Lee said as she snapped back up off one foot from the dip and took Aang's hand vigorously and walked away from the crowd, the further she got, the further she was from giving into giving them all dead arms…or jaws….one of them in yellow with especially dark skin blew Aang a kiss.

"Awww see you later Appa…" she said before giggling as they walked their own way.

Ty Lee glared and all but snarled as they did so and left, "Is something wrong?" Aang asked genuinely, still in Ty Lee's iron grip…which wasn't shy of crushing attributes.

"NO!" she said louder then she meant to, "Nothing at all!" Aang's eyes were big at the exclamation, as were the eyes of the livestock around them.

"Oh okay…" Aang said.

Ty Lee looked at the creatures looking at them, as well as some passing by gypsies carrying things on their heads like cloths and food.

She took Aang's hand more softly, but every bit as forcefully and made her way out of bounds of the main camp community site, near the trees.

"Ty?" Aang said, "Where are we going?..."

"No where…" Ty Lee said smiling with big eyes, "Just feel like walking…"

"O-okay…" Aang said.

"Excuse me…" came a voice.

Aang and Ty Lee turned to see a large bearded man approaching them, it was the one from before who they'd believed was the leader.

"I don't believe we were properly introduced…" he said smiling.

"I am Bageigo…" he was in a colorful tunic and cape this time, with designed clouds and creatures lined with gold string. His white beard hung from his face like a decoration and complemented his large grin.

"Momo…" Ty Lee said curtsying, Aang nodded, "Appa sir…"

He suddenly noticed something about the large man, his eyes were yellow…he was Fire Nation...?

Stepping slightly in front of Ty Lee, but only just slightly, Aang ventured the question, "Do you hail from the Fire Nation or from one of the colonies?"

Ty Lee noticed the man's eye color almost just as quickly as Aang had the words out his mouth.

The man simply chuckled, "You have good observation Master Appa…" he said.

He then furled his cape in a circle and Aang flinched, not knowing what would happen, and suddenly in the flurry of motion, the man produced a large poster, one much too big to be hidden in his pockets, and he did so in a burst of sparks and Technicolor flame. So the man was a magician…

Bageigo grinned, "Bageigo's Amazing fates…." He said grandly, on the poster was himself along with several other young people.

"We gypsies hale from all over Young Master Appa…we have members from distant water tribes, different districts of our own Earth Kingdom, and the far reaches of the Fire-land."

He then napped his fingers and more Technicolor flames sparked from his fingers and the poster disappeared. "We see no bending…no loyalty by tribe or race…there is no place for it among us outcasts…merely each other…and our differences that bind us…"

Aang smiled a little, "A people united, hold the fastest, a people divided fade the fastest…" he quoted from one of his own Masters' teachings.

The big ma Bageigo seemed very impressed, "Ho-OH, a poet as well…quite talented you are Master Appa…"

He turned his attention to Ty Lee, "And you…mistress….Momo correct?" he inquired.

Ty Lee had to think for a second before nodding her head, not quite used to the "Momo" title as yet.

I saw your feet just recently, he said stroking his white beard,

"That was quite a show of acrobatic skills you have there…" he said smiling.

Ty Lee smiled sheepishly, he had seen her about to deal out "Hands-Off" to those gypsy girls…

He chuckled to indicate no harm done,

"They are free spirits…like you I shouldn't guess…" he said smiling at them.

"But let me get to the point….as we are short a few members of our group…would either of you…consider being our 8th and 7th fate?"

Ty Lee and Aang stared at Bageigo, who promptly put his two great hands up and backed away smiling.

"Think on it…sleep on it even…talk amongst yourselves about it." He grinned.

"We won't think you nefarious for saying no, but spend a night with us at least before you make up your mind…"

Ty Lee and Aang both stood there, a distant insect chirped and then stopped chirping, still they stood, alone now.

Finally Ty Lee broke the silence, "Um…" she said, "That doesn't sound too bad…."

Aang finally burst out

"Ty Lee I want you to come with me…"

Ty Lee looked sideways at him, "With you…..?" she repeated as if she didn't understand.

"To…" he looked both ways, "MY band…..my caravan…."

"Oh…" Ty Lee said.

"With ME…" he repeated again, then shook his head for doing so.

Ty Lee said nothing for a while, she knew this was coming, she knew she wanted it to come…yet she was dreading it, this great divorce where she would have to choose…she wanted to be in this moment, the gypsies, the running free…just the two of them, no wars, no pasts….just them…but she knew that couldn't be, even he was reminding her of that…

"With your band?..." she asked for confirmation.

Aang smiled at her,

"They'd love you, I know they would…and they'll believe me…trust me, if you think I'm a good friend wait till you meet- "

Ty Lee began pacing, "But Aang…" she said, he stopped.

"My…my friends…." Aang took her hands, she didn't look up.

"We'll be your friends Ty Lee…" he said.

"Give us a chance, I know you won't regret joining us…"

She bit her lip, "If I join you…." She said, "I'll be leaving …EVERYTHING behind….my home…my family…my Nation….only there'll be no redeeming qualities...no war to win so my family will love me again...this will be forever.."

Aang sighed, "I know that…" he wanted to stroke her cheek, to nudge her chin up to look at him, but he held back the urge…

"Zuko did the same thing…didn't he?" Aang said, she froze.

Aang continued steadily "and…that wasn't even to join us…right.."

Ty Lee said nothing still, but looked up slightly.

"And…" he went on, "…If he went…just because…that uncle of his….was the one person who loved him…"

She looked up slightly hearing this, being eye to eye with Aang.

"W-what did you say?..." she asked,

"I said…" Aang continued, "If Zuko…were to-"

"No." Ty Lee said looking his eyes, "You said…why he left…"

Aang knew Ty Lee knew what he meant by that, if only he could get it out of the churning in his stomach that felt like Momo beating on one of his drum toys.

"Because…he knew, he would be loved…if he went with him…" Aang said.

Ty Lee bit her lip, nearly choking out the words but she managed to get them out completely…

"Do you…..?" she asked, her heart feeling like one of the fire Nations balloons filling with air and fire at once.

"DINNER TIME!" Came a call from the inner most part of the camp, "TIME FOR SUPPER, WE WANT TO GET A MOVE ON SO WE CAN DINE IN PEACE AND AVOID ANY FIRE NATION OR EARTH BENDING PATROLS…"

* * *

The camp site

It was nearing nightfall and Jet was explaining the plan to the rest of the group the plan of their mission, they were all gathered around a fire that Sokka had built with Longshot, Longshot had proved an invaluable companion for Sokka cause he was the one person where Sokka could say whatever was on his mind and not receive any backlash or ridicule for it…although he seemed to convey a lot with his expressions and eyes…messages Sokka was beginning to suspect were messages of bewilderment of how he was coming up with the topics he had been bringing up.

Jet drew in the dirt with his hook sword.

"So…the peninsula is about 3 fourths from the main dock…the bowl itself is within the region of a mile to a mile and a half long from rim to rim…the cave is carefully watched by the turret watch towers on the peninsula…it acts like a barrier to keep un wanted ships from entering the bowl or leaving it."

Katara on cue filled a replica of the strong hold that Toph had made according to Jets' description, full of water from her pouch.

"What we have to do…" Jet went on, "Is find a way into one of those watch towers, make sure that the ship that's transporting the kids to open water gets to the cave, but with us aboard as well. Once we're clear, we take the boat and the crew…deal with them…pilot the ship along the coast until its safe, drop the kids off at a village or fishing town…"

Katara spoke now, "We have to assume that the ones shipping children through customs could be anyone in the depot…so we'll have to move quickly through the different turrets to find a way to determine which one has the slaver or the watchman who looks the other way."

Toph spoke up, "How will we know which one is the right one?"

Katara answered putting the last bit of water into the model, "We heard him…one of the men me and Jet heard said that he would give them the right of way to get out without a sitch, and I remember what he looks like."

Sokka creeped up behind Jet, "Can I use them now?" he asked eagerly. Jet rolled his eyes, Katara nodded.

Sokka smiled a huge smile making slight squealing sound of delight and began placing his hand made stick man figures that represented each of them on the opposite shore of the model they had built.

He had made all the fire nation stickmen with red berries for heads that he had drawn faces on with a charcoal to resemble their skeleton like masks. Toph's model was shorter than all the rests next to Smellerbee's…who was just an olive with a grumpy face drawn on it. Jets was a stick man with grass placed and pinned on top so you couldn't see the face he'd drawn on it. He had put a great deal of effort into them and proudly put the last one in its place.

"Me and Katara will go in first, Longshot will distract the guards, then come along to the barrier watchtowers when me and her have secured them. Longshot will then come across with you, and you, and you…"

He said pointing to Sokka and Toph Smellerbee, Smellerbee nodded with her arms folded, grunting her coherence.

Jet went on, "Longshot will then shoot a zip-line from one of the towers to the ship that is being allowed to go through, the rest of us will board the ship from the zip line, while blind and beautiful here comes on board inside one of these creates…"

"Nice…" Toph said sarcastically at her obviously insincere sweet nick name.

"Sokka you and Smellerbee will have to let Toph out when we get near the caves…" Katara said putting a hand on her brothers shoulder.

"Yeah…" Toph said, "Then I can metal bend some slaver butts into oblivion!" she said smiling and smacking her fist into her palm as she spoke.

Jet smirked, "I like your style…" he said, then moved on.

"This is a one-time deal…" he said, "We can't have any run through's, but also no screw ups…these kids are depending on us…." Everyone nodded in understanding the gravity.

"Then let the spirits be with us…" he said standing and threw a chuck of wood into the fire making it spark with little bits of fiery dots spark up into the darkening sky.

* * *

At the gypsy camp site however, Aang and Ty Lee were helping to make the preparations for the feast they were all going to share in, Bageigo certainly wasted no expense to show them the hospitality of the band he presided over, but it was not totally agendanized, both Ty Lee and Aang both could see that he genuinely did have a kind heart for those who others had thrown by the way side.

They'd heard how he was no older than them when he started out and made his own group of friends among a water bending man, earth bending girl, and two half blood benders who were daughters of a fire bender and earth bender, one bending fire, and the other earth, the earth bending one grew up to be Bageigo's wife, the one who had givent them bread.

They'd all wanted to provide a community for those who had been misfits like themselves, deformed or merely family ties.

Aang and Ty Lee were now quickly shuffling pots and bowls from the caravan carriage that doubled for a mobile kitchen, to the hands waiting to be fed more supplies outside in a long chain of people leading to the camp fire and tables.

Ty was constantly bending to get the plates and bending back up to hand them over her head, or behind her to Aang who had gotten the hang of taking them without looking according to the pattern in which Ty lee handed them to him, she even handed some to him perfectly balanced on her foot, which he thought exceedingly cute.

….she had said yes… well she had thought about it, she'd said she would decide in the morning…but when he had been brutally honest with her…well told her "I do…" to her question, he could see the barriers break in her eyes, and felt them break in himself…he smiled to himself thinking of this…

"EEP!" Ty Lee suddenly squealed and jumped up holding her backside and turning around looking wide eyed at Aang who had apparently, in the distraction of regaling his experience with Ty Lee…accidently reached for a plate from her…and instead...grabbed...her...*ahem* grabbed something but not a plate…..

"I'm so sorry!" Aang said flushing now, wishing he could shrivel up and die, "I-I-…I di- " the stammering coming from his mouth was completely un-determinable, and sounded like a sick creature.

"I have to go help with th- uh…bye" he squeaked out and nearly air bent his way out of the carriage in a rush of motion and wind that made Ty Lee's hair blow in his direction as he left.

She still stared, rubbing her tush looking at where he had been standing, then slowly smiled to herself biting her lip.

At the docks, everything was ready Katara had already made the water vaporize enough to make a sufficient mist to mask their approach to the ferry, Jet had already exited his box and was now scaling the walls of one of the towers.

Toph was still in one of the cargo boxes on their ferry waiting to be let out by Longshot and Sokka. Katara was in her own box now, awaiting for the ferry she was on to deliver her safely across to aid Jet in taking the towers hostage. She'd been inside said box for a long time, and the smell of what was previously in the box, (an odd smelling fruit) hung and made her desperately want to come up for air...even though there was a cork hole for her to breath with.

She began to think about Aang, about what she would do after they'd rescued the children…..about how she'd hope that Aang would have better luck getting through to Jet then her…about how much she missed him, and how much she wished she could have told him…..she wasn't sure anymore….about her decision…

Back at the gypsy campsite:

It was after eating time now and everyone had either eaten their fill or over it, and were now either playing music, or dancing, or singing to the music and dance, or laughing over ale, or just talking about the day in general.

Ty Lee and Aang were sitting on a log that doubled for a seat at dinner that night, Ty Lee had apparently not been angry about Aangs…mishap…in the carriage, and in any case hadn't brang it up yet. Aang bit both his lips together and twiddled his fingers, until Ty Lee took his hand and held it as they both looked at the camp fire….he held hers back and felt her head on his shoulder, which he liked….

Suddenly a bell sounded and everyone hushed

"Excuse me, …" Came Bageigo's voice from amidst them throng by the fire,

"Now as we united souls, join under the stars…we celebrate the Eve of the tiger-bear's prance..." he said flinging his arms in the air one by one. As he did so he bet fire out of the bon fire in the middle of them and made it jump up with different colors and shapes, Aang wondered how this was even possible…that such..vibrant life could come from such a…destructive force.

The crowd swayed along to the motion of the fire that seemed to be synchronized with the music that was now playing by those with instruments. It was catchy enough…and sounded vaguely familiar…Aang couldn't put his finger on it until finally he realized it was a variation of the Phoenix Flight…mixed with another earth bending song…like a remix or mashup….it meshed perfectly…and by two totally different, yet classic dances.

Soon people began dancing around the fire to the music, girls flinging their arms in the air and dancing wildly as they spun in the arms of their dance partners, the men doing high clicks of the heel, children holding each other's hands and spinning, everyone was having a good time….except Ty and Aang who were still sitting.

Suddenly there was a squeal and several multicolored shapes past over Aang and Ty Lee, landing on their feet perfectly then bounded towards the fire, it was the gypsy girls from before….and once again they were focused on Aang. They danced purposefully in front of him at times, jerking their hips at certain parts of the song, twirling their sashes over their heads, spinning in circles and doing leg lifts that clear professional acrobatics do…in a most sensual way…

Suddenly one of them, the one in blue from before, whipped her see-through sash around the back of Aangs head, and in the dance pulled him up off the seat to dance with her…Ty Lee's eyes burned brighter then the fire itself. She stood up, but cautioned herself knowing that if she went with her mood…she'd lob off one of their heads…and that wouldn't do for their hosts to see…

Aang sheepishly danced a little bit of the dance with one of the girls then bit by bit made his way away from the main group at the fire back to his seat, or tried, for the one in the yellow from before with the darker skin was in front of him and twirling her body without end like a top keeping him from leaving.

Aang thought maneuverably and did a flip/cart-wheel over her head and landed in a dancing stance on one knee with one hand behind his back and the outstretched to the side. The crowd cheered. Aang grinned at the crowd then used air bending…(subtlety of course) to propel himself spinning in the air faster than the girl had before, and landed perfectly on his feet. Everyone was clapping and whooping at him now,

He looked at Ty Lee who was still semi-questioning whether to jump in or not, Aang slammed his foot on the ground with a resounding thump just at a part of the song where they struck the cords and strings at once profoundly.

Ty Lee knew this song…she had remembered telling him about how she'd known it…how they both knew older classic dances because of his time period and her being in the circus and around people who still remembered the old traditions….however her version of the dance was a bit more…..vigorous.

The music started again, and Aang outstretched his hand at Ty Lee smiling, Ty Lee looked at the girls who were looking at her like "what are YOU going to do?" cockily.

Slowly smiling to herself, then at Aang with a mischievous look on her face…batted her eyes at him and slowly stepped forwards…

Out of the first step she cartwheeled forwards one leg after the other, landing upright again with one hand on her hip, the other behind her head, then contorted her body to one of the sharp beats of the music in a very...intentional manner (like shakira's jerkiness) while looking at Aang whose eyes nearly bugged out from his head…and quite a few other people as well who clapped seeing that Ty Lee was no novice…

She smiled looking over her shoulder at him as she danced in a silky, flowing motion like the tip of a candle licking the air, and all of this in a way that Aang simply couldn't ignore.

The girls from before actually stopped dancing to see her go

The band kept playing faster,

She whipped her hair around, and rolled and dove like a snake in the dance until she landed in the splits with her face nearly touching the grass, with both her palms on the ground. Aang took a step back, now realizing this was the "girls" part of the dance he had not yet seen been played out.

She slowly rose her head up, leaning up completely, letting some hair hang in front of her face, smirking. She reached out her hand like Aang had, and motioned with her fingers in a flowing motion for him to come…

Everyone began cheering and clapping to the music seeing that things were getting interesting and played louder. Aang, gulped and took a few steps forward and grabbed Ty Lee's hand, she slowly came out of the splits as he put his other hand instinctively on her waist…helping her out of it. She leaned forward put her foot straight up in the air in back of her teasing that she could touch her ear with it, then put it back down, stepping back with her tippy toes, with Aang following her wide eyed.

Then they came to a part of the music he did recognize and on que…spun her out of his arms to which she flailed her arm out at the sky as she held onto his hand with the other, and then he jerked his hand back, standing up straight.

Immediately she flung herself into his arms…now he understood the parts of the dance that didn't make sense to him, he'd known how to dance it…but not with a partner…much less a female one….as long as he kept one hand on Ty Lee, he knew that she would do the rest if he just stuck to the man's' part of the dance…and he wasn't intending on letting go.

They both flung their arms in the air while the other arm grabbed hold of each other's waist as they spun around in a circle facing each other, they stepped perfectly, back, forwards…back again left…spinning, twirl, catch, dip, back up…left again….it was beautiful.

Ty Lee smiled at Aang and he smiled back nearly as wide as the moon above them was crescent, his heart rate was beating so loud he could hear it in his head. Ty Lee bit her lip as they danced further to the fast portion of the song, his hand slipped down her waist a little, but before he could return it from her hip she kept it there with one hand indicating it was part of this portion of the dance…..

Now if Aang remembered correctly…this part of the dance would mean that if he were holding a partner….oh lord…

She spun herself around in his arms so that his arms were around her from behind, locked around her waist, as they danced again to the quick motion of the music….there being hardly an inch of clearance between her body and his, and her hips kept moving according to the music regardless that he was pretty much against her. She bit her lip as she did so looking over her shoulder slightly, showing him that she had no objection to this…and he honestly felt like Storm bending was going on in his stomach….his heart beat so hard he could feel it on her back which was indeed up against his chest.

Aang's hands amidst this motion had found their way in the "spirit of the dance"…onto her hips as she moved them back against Aang. Suddenly the music stopped in Its' rhythm and all went to the slowness that happens at the end of the song…instinctively from memory, Aang flung his arm forward and she went from his arms spinning, then came back like she were on a string into his arms to be swept off her feet into a dip…one that Aang saw he had her in…holding her leg, with her arms around his neck.

The song ended…..Both were breathing as if they'd just slain a thousand saber-toothed echidna's, staring into each other's eyes with half smiles half gasps for air. Everyone stood and clapped for them, even some of the other couples who were dancing alongside them.

Aang and Ty Lee both blushed this time and slowly and awkwardly stood out of their dip and faced everyone, their backs to the fire.

Later that night…Aang was walking Ty Lee to her tent that Bageigo had said they had a spare of…

He had her by the hand still, and she was holding it tighter than ever, liking every minute of it…if there was any more of an indication that she intended to come with him to the Wung Sho pass to meet his friends, he didn't know what it was.

Finally they stopped at where her tent was pitched, "Well…" Aang said, "Here we are…" Ty Lee nodded. "Yeah"… she responded.

Aang nodded in turn and shuffled his feet, Ty Lee stood off her tippy toes then on them again.

Aang finally said, "Great dancing tonight with you….." Ty Lee nodded vigorously, " And you two Master Appa…" she said curtsying,

He bowed in turn… "And you Lady Momo…" he said with an odd way of ending the name.

She giggled, suddenly she felt her cheek getting kissed, her eyes shot open again and nearly gasped.

"Goodnight Ty Lee…." Aang said grinning. Ty Lee wanted to fling her arms around his neck and kiss him but…she could see him already stepping back and genuinely looked exhausted from the dance they had done….

"Good night…Aang…" she said slipping her curtain back to lay her head down to sleep, smiling...

.

.

.

Suddenly Ty Lee woke up with a start, there was scurrying outside the tent, she sprung up, hearing a baby cry followed by a good deal of shouting, "Aang?..." she said coming out of her sleep. "Whats going-"

She could hear screams and struggles outside, and the clanging of metal, and could see the glow, and the smell of Fire…outside her tent, painting silhouettes of a fight going on outside. "No….." she said to herself, "NO!"

She sprung out of her tent to see the gypsy campsite in utter chaos as men women and children ran in different direction amidst fires that were set along the ground, in various bushes, even carriages.

"STOP!" she said pulling herself out of her tent, now wide awake. She saw a Fire bender fire bending some gypsy's into a corner where some boulders were, the father hugged his wife and child close, shielding them. Everything Aang had said before on the mountain rushed back to her like a flood…what her nation had done…what was doing now….what she helped to do…

"Ty Lee…" she heard a familiar voice say behind her.

* * *

Katara woke with a start, "Aang?" she said waking up. Oh goodness... she'd fallen asleep…oh lord what if she'd missed her part in the scheme…had she snoozed off? OUCH! Her head hurt….she felt it…she had a slight bump on the top of it….she'd been knocked out….on the walls of her box, something had jostled the crate she was in and made her hit her head. But where was she now? And where was Jet?

"Hello?" she called stupidly, then covered her mouth…she reached out with here water bending to see how close she was to water…and found that she was no longer on the low to the water ferry that she'd been on before…and from the motion of the floor beneath her….she wasn't just not on a raft…she was on a boat…a ship no less…

She looked out the peek hole made from the cork opening she was using to breath, she could see starry night sky outside…and its reflection….on the sea…

She desperately tried to pop out of the box but something heavy was on top of it, "Hello?" She called, "Hello!" "Help!" she desperately pleaded, but no answer.

Suddenly she heard footsteps on a metal plank floor…metal…that probably meant it was Fire Nation. She kept her voice down.

"I'm afraid you are not permitted to be on this boat…." A gruff voice said. She recognized it as one of the men referring to their slaving deals by the bushes.

"Now either get off this ship…or we'll make you get off….."

She heard another…MUCH MORE familiar voice reply in anger.

**"You could try it….but I am NOT leaving….until you tell me…..what did you do with my uncle…."**


	17. Chapter 17

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Reoccurrence _

Zuko stared down the men on the steamer he was now on, they were all holding chains, pipes, or were in bending stances.

One of the men stepped forward, he was wearing a bandana that was dull green matching the almost grey color of the bandana's the other men were wearing. He had a rugged Jaw, biting a stem of a pipe that had been broken off at the front so that it looked more like a cigarette now. He had long hair that stretched down to his shoulders, unkept and dark. His eyes were piercing and they stared at Zuko with fierceness but Zuko's own gaze was unfaltering, and dug I back into his with his narrowed and slitted eye.

**"You got a lot of nerve to come on our boat…and start ask'n us questions…." **Said the man, apparently their leader, and began twirling his chain around and around, making a jingling sound.

Zuko stood his ground and his hands twitched their fingers slightly near his bi-sword hilts.

**"Not really, and I have even less patience…." **Zuko said,** "Where is my uncle…" **he repeated.

The men began to circle Zuko who shifted his feat slightly but not in panic, his uncles teaching had taught him well to gage himself, like the fire in the belly of a great dragon, conjuring…stewing, having all the time in the world to leap forth in all its fury…

The man began to swing his chain around so fast it was making noise.

**"Won't tell you again…."** He said chewing on the stem of his pipe. **"Off…"**

Zuko narrowed his eyes even more making his scared one almost shut, **"You'll tell me where he is…even if you have to be hanging from that idiotic chain…." **He said tightening his grip on his sword hilts.

Suddenly the chain whipped through the air past his face, he neatly bent backwards out of the way drawing his swords in one clean motion slicing through a stick that was coming down on his head from the large arms of a ship hand.

He shifted his balance like lightning and dove out of his backwards bend at the man who had attempted to hit him and drew his other sword and in doing so elbowed him right in the solar plexus. The man grunted from the burning he felt in his stomach and chest from the hit, and Zuko still moving, swept his feet from under him as he moved behind him then stood on his chest as he groaned in pain. He saw the chain come at him again and deflected it and countered another stick headed for his face from a man with his bandana over his eye.

He wanted to fire bend…no one else was on the boat that he knew of…that would hold any consequence anyway, he'd be finishing these fools anyway…especially if they'd hurt….no they had better not hurt his uncle…the kind hearted old fool…..he'd kill him if he found out he was alive.

Suddenly a sweep from the chain of the captain or leader or whoever the man who had spoken was, sailed over Zuko's head and nearly chopped a box of cargo in two, it wasn't particularly made of strong wood but still it proved how hard he was swinging the chain.

The box it was standing on moved by itself a little bit although the men didn't seem to notice, was their livestock inside? Suddenly to their surprise, as the box that had been cloven toppled over from the imbalance, the lid of the box it was standing on flew open and out popped…who was that?

She was the water bending girl…the…the one the Avatar always hung with…the water bender who had taught him from the Southern Water tribe…

**"YOU!"** Zuko said in surprise more than anything.

**"I knew there was more than one…" **said one of the crew members, and swung his chain hard at the girl, Zuko pushed her down instinctively and just in time to feel a nick from the chain across his shoulder, just barely, but it stung.

**"Aargue…" **Zuko groaned and gritted his teeth, he slammed his foot down on the fallen lid from the wooden box and it caught flame as he did so,

**"He's a fire bender!" **yelled one of the men, but before he could utter another word, Zuko had slipped his foot underneath the lid and kicked it up off the ground and then side kicked it into the men making them fall over slapping themselves and rolling like crazy trying to put themselves out. Eventually the men jumped into the drink to put themselves out and sizzled audibly over the side of the ship, now there were only….8 left…great.

**"Look out!" **the girl yelled and Zuko turned around to see the second chain hurtling towards his head again, he put his hand back to bring it forward to block the chain but knew it would come too late.  
Suddenly before his eyes he saw it turn blue-ish, as if in slow motion then freeze over as it neared his face, he slashed at the ice ridden chain as he had intended to in the first place and his sword blocked and shattered the chain, cutting it in two, sending links all around the deck of the ship.

The man growled at seeing his weapon being taken apart and through the chain down, he side kicked a bag atop a stack of boxes, and out rolled Nitsu-rocks, or war rocks, rocks specifically used for combat, and were handy on ships to pelt at any ships trying to board them as unfriendly's.

The girl had successfully gotten out of her box and was now right next to him,** "Where am I? How did I get here!" **She demanded,  
Zuko hissed, was she SERIOUSLY nagging him right now? They were about to die if they didn't keep their wits about them, what's more he'd saved her annoying little life…the least she could do was go jump in the water she so loved and get out of there so he could continue fighting off these goons his own way, and WITHOUT any interference.

**"I don't know Darl'n…." **said one of the men said smiling at her, he had a patch over his eye and beard that was half grown out that went passed his ears to his chin but stopped there.

**"I don't know about your friend but if you stop fighting and be a good little girl…we won't hurt ya…"**

She looked disgusted at the man who'd suggested it eyeing her like a stake, Zuko for some reason found himself standing in her way and glaring at the man,** "The only ones who are turning themselves over….are you…..you aren't getting her….or anyone else…now where….is the old man you took!"**

He pointed his sword at the man, and he smirked at him and looked over his shoulder at the girl, **"We'll tell ya if you step aside and let us see to this….obviously…unrelated stowaway…" **he said.

The girl grumbled behind him and he could hear her churning water, **"Wrong answer…." **He said lowly.

He spun around stepping towards the man who inevitably kicked the floor and sent a rock into the air then did a side kick to send it towards Zuko, who spun again with his swords out this time and sliced the rock in two as fire Jetted from the blades.

He cut through another one as it sailed towards him from the side, still looking at the man who had been jeering him and the girl, he countered another coming at him from the other side without taking his focus off.

What he'd learned from his sister was, if you can learn to be so good you can counter others attacks without taking your gaze off one specific foe, you can unsettle them, which is what he was doing to this patch-eyed man right now.

The man was backing up and his smirk was gone as he rock bent more Nitsu's out of their bag at him, to which he'd dodge or duck or slice them out of the way, he let out a jet of fire from his nostrils as he got closer, letting his inner rage out a bit, it was defiantly working the man was shaking. Meanwhile behind him he could hear equal struggle and screams of a few men, he'd forgotten about the girl, he quickly locked over his shoulder to see the girl bending water like octopus arms, making the men slip, blocking their rocks, and freezing their feet to the deck of the ship,

Zuko turned his attention to the patch eyed man who was now trying to make an exit, Zuko growled and jumped up in an ariel side kick that sent a fire ball at the stairs he was attempting to go up, he turned fearfully behind him at Zuko who now approached him with both swords dragging across the deck of of the ship.

He was awaiting an attack, anything behind him, but none came, the girl was apparently taking care of herself fine…

He stuck his sword in the floor board next to the man's head as he tripped and fell backwards, his sword was embedded right above his head to keep him from scooting back.

**"My uncle WHERE IS HE!" **he belted in his face leaning on the sword and setting the other one to glow with flame.

Suddenly he heard screaming as men were sent flying off the ship by the girl's octopus arms of water.

The girl was handily dispensing them one by one over the side of the boat, and dodging their attacks with what seemed no effort.

**"No!**" Zuko said angrily, **"I need them!"** he yelled.

The girl looked back at him angrily now too, **"For all I know, you captured me…I don't have to-"**

**"DUCK!"** Zuko yelled and fire bent in her direction, she yelped and put up her water arm to put out the flame,

**"Are you crazy-"**

She couldn't get the rest out for she was clubbed over the head by a rock from one of the rock bending crew mates that Zuko had TRIED to fire bend if she hadn't put his flame out.

**"Girls…." **Zuko grumbled to himself and lowered his head and ran at the man swords trailing behind him.

The man kicked the ground with his heel and sent several more Nitsu rocks into the air and then round house kicked them sending them careening toward him.

Zuko leapt in the air spinning his body around like a drill into the flip and watched some of the rocks pass his face by then landed on his feet and hand with the other sword out over his head.

He spun his body around while he was bent low, sending a stream of fire inches above the deck of the ship towards the man's feet, who backed up and jumped when they reached him to avoid being burnt.  
But unfortunately for him, Zuko's flame had indeed singed his foot and now he was limping back, separated from rocks sprawled out on the deck out of their bag. Now Zuko was between him and them, only two or three smaller rocks remained by the man.

He sent one rock towards Zuko's head as he walked calmly towards him, he simply twirled his sword in his hand with his wrist to block the pebble without even slowing his stride. The man was now backed up against an outer wall of the ship's cabin.

Zuko stuck his sword in the wall of the ship next to his face and sneered,** "Care to avoid my questions again…"**

The man snarled at Zuko, **"The old man's done for…."**

Suddenly with a **_-SHING-_** noise Zuko's other sword slid along the blade of the one stuck in the wall and stopped under the man's chin.

**"Being able to talk at all isn't sounding so bad right about now, I suggest you use it wisely and just answer my question, WHERE IS HE!"**

********

**

* * *

**

**"Azula?"**

Ty Lee said in surprise, suddenly she was hugged by Mai of all people,

**"Your alive…"**

she said thankfully more then enthusiastically, or loud…It wasn't what she called a warm hug, but it was a genuine hug….and the only one she'd remembered receiving from Mai.

She hugged back extremely hard before she knew what she was doing, she pushed away and said.

**"What are you doing?"**

Azula stepped forward,** "Rescuing you…" **she said smiling triumphantly,** "Or is that not obvious…?"**

Ty Lee looked at one of the burning gypsy carts and some of the still resisting families being cornered by fire bending troops.

**"I mean to these people?"** Ty said, **"They didn't do anything!" **Mai looked at her confused,

**"They're concealing the Avatar and his whereabouts…" **Azula said, ignoring the questions curiousness.

**"I want my men to stop…"** came a voice, **"They won't…unless you answer the question….where is the Avatar….where is Aang…"**

She saw to her left, Zhao's son Brago holding his bi-bladed sword out in front of Bageigo's beard as he stood defensively in front of some of the children and younger gypsies.

**"I know no…Aang…" **the said staring at him beneath his bushy white eyebrows…

**"Stop…." **Came another voice, this one Ty Lee knew…

**"No…"** she thought…

**"Don't hurt anyone else…here I am…"**

Aang suddenly came out, dressed as one of their clowns from behind a wagon, he put his hands up.

Brago sheathed his blade and walked over to him. Two Fire Nation guards came up alongside him placing iron grips on his arms.

**"So…you're the one who nearly got her killed."** Brago said lowly.….

Suddenly Aang was punched in the stomach making him keel over on one knee gasping.

Ty Lee gave a start covering her mouth, muffling an exclamation that only Mai apparently saw amongst the troops, Azula was looking at the show and was smirking as Brago landed another punch to Aangs' gut.

**"Ty Lee what is it?" **Mai said looking at her and putting her hand on her shoulder,

Ty Lee looked like a bewildered deer-horse, **"Are you okay…?"** she asked as if she was concerned for her health or sanity.

She shook her head,

**"Don't hurt him…"** she whispered, she wanted to belt it out, but it only came out as a choked squeak. Mai looked at her cock-eyed, **"He rescued me off the mountain stop!"** she said, just a little louder.

Azula looked at her, Brago stopped in the motion of wheeling back and landing another punch on Aangs cheek this time.

**"We'll deal with him later…get him aboard the air blimp…." **Brago commanded and the troops that had been holding his arms carried him away.

Azula gave her a look as if to say, _hmmmm, we'll discuss this later_, then said, **"Well you heard him….get the Avatar aboard…we have our secret weapon…"**

Ty Lee looked after Aang, he didn't look over his shoulder as he was taken away, but he had stolen a glance at her before they turned his body completely around, and that look made her want to die.

**"You're working with them Momo?" **one of the gypsy girls who had flirted with Aang said as they were being nudged on their way by Fire Nation guards.

Ty Lee looked at the girl as she hissed at her **"….You traitorous little…"**  
Suddenly the gyspy girl was interrupted by a blue flame that engulfed the little bit of ground where she had been standing and fell backwards. She proceeded to back up fearfully as the blue fire caught the rest of the reeds and dry grass and stood to her feet and ran into the arms of her other friends. Azula stood there smirking at her handy work,

**"Take care when talking to a Fire Nation…half breed…"**  
Azula said coldly and smugly. Mai was already ushering Ty Lee to follow the procession of troops out of the campsite with her hand around her shoulder…she never did that…not even to Zuko often times…

She saw the expression of the other gypsies watching her go…the betrayal in their eyes…the confusion at what had gone on, the looking at her like**:"Oh…she's just one of _THEM_…"**

Ty Lee bit her lip, she knew nothing about the Fire Nation coming for her or Aang…or even how they knew she was alive…but all the same the words were true, she had betrayed Aang…someone who had nearly died rescuing her, who had come through like everyone else had chosen not too, had stared some of her greatest fears right in the face and conquered them with her…  
That look he'd given her, it wasn't one of dissapointment...or of betrayel...which hurt her the most. That was exactly what she did. The look was of understanding...what she didn't deserve..

Yes she had stopped herself from flying at Brago and breaking every bone in his body and running with Aang, yes she had had to try _twice _to call out for him to stop hitting him, and yes when it had come out it was only a squeak. She wasn't bounding to his rescue now...or even thinking of a plan to rescue him as they walked, and it wasn't just because of the fact that any outward sign of wanting to free Aang would get them both killed or worse...it was cause she was she was a coward...a fraud...a nothing...a nothing that wasn't even brave enough to stand up for the boy she'd come to...want...and love even...

She knew why Aang had given himself up, why he gave away his oppertunity to leave to save the gypsies, he was the Avatar...he was kind...he was honest...he'd never lie, he'd never let anyone get hurt...even an enemy...Not like her...

Mai there, her arms around her in an actual hug, Azula looking honestly glad that she was alive…it was too much. She had numbed her senses with Aang before cutting away the limb that was her old family and friends, and now she had feeling in that limb again, and she could feel the pain of leaving them and their searing of their disappointment flashed in front of her eyes as she began to even THINK about taking a stand next to him. But she still felt small again…like showing out would kill her…afraid of failure, afraid of Azula, afraid of herself…and what felt worse…it was all familiar to her….she felt back to normal again…


	18. Chapter 18

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

**_Engraving _**

Katara rose from behind the box's she had fallen near, rubbing her head groggily, the boat stopped moving around and she could hear the Fire Lords' son Zuko saying **"…WHERE IS HE!"** in mid sentence.

The man trembled though he was pretending not to, **"I-I don't know where he is, last I heard he was on another one of our ships, we were told to check on this one in case there were stowaways on this one too…"**

Zuko grimaced,

**"I'm on the wrong boat…" **he growled to himself, he took his sword from under his chin and backed up slowly.

The man scooted slowly off of his toes that he had been standing on so as to not be cut by Zuko's blade tips. Zuko suddenly roared and turned around giving an extraordinarily hard round house side kick, slamming him into the wall with a thud, knocking him out, and making Katara jump.

Zuko ripped his long sword out from the wall it had been stuck in and shoved it back in its sheath.  
She rose to her feet to be ready for anything, she still had NO idea where she was and what she was doing there…with Zuko of all people..

**"WHAT- are you doing here?..."** Zuko said growling at her. She narrowed her eyes and put up her hands in a defensive stance and some of the water that had splashed the boat and from her pouch leapt back into the air around her, and began swirling menacingly.

Zuko didn't take his swords out again but simply put his fists up letting flames jet out from inside of them like he was holding back great infernos in his hands.

**"I- "** she started, the flames burst into real ones, **"Don't…"** she continued, **"KNOW."** She said evenly through her teeth.

**"You're that girl that's always around the Avatar…"** Zuko said, making his stance more tense yet,

**"I am…"** Katara said defiantly, **"You're the one who's constantly trying to catch him…."** She said.

She stressed the word TRYING which made Zuko growl and let his hands rage in real inferno's, "How is it you always seem to come around…and make a mess of EVERYTHING for me…" he said lowly.  
He _wanted_ to chuck a fire ball at her, but he kept his hands down up defensively only, if anything so that the girl would do the same…he wanted to barbecue her, but now she might have a link to where his uncle was, or even the Avatar…and he didn't feel like going in a water on fire fight right now cause he knew he wouldn't be able to hold back.

**"And don't bother asking where he is…"** Katara said, **"I'm looking for him too…I haven't seen him in days…."**

Zuko groaned but moved on, he'd determine later if she was lying, right now his uncle mattered to him more than the Ava-….what was he saying….it seemed like something that would be common sense but he had been so taken in capturing the Avatar before…he could actually taste how different it was to say, if only in his mind that he wanted his uncle more than his…fate.

**"You were kidnapped?"** he said, or asked to be more specific.

She gave him an odd look, expecting him to pour on the attacks, flame by flame, destroying the boat to roast her…but none came.  
She stayed in her fighting stance however…making the water wave, not menacingly though, in a defensive motion around her,

**"I don't know…."** She said honestly, **"I was helping my friends rescue some kids from some slavers…"** she began.

Suddenly Zuko cut her off, **"Slavers? What did they look like?"** he said excitedly and narrowing his eyes again, for him excited usually meant angry.

Katara put her hands up once again in case, **"I don't know…cool yourself…"**

Zuko put his arms down and the flames died down too, but only by a little.

She sighed, **"Look if we're going to continue this without blowing each other's heads off, might as well both of us stand down…"**

Zuko looked at her as if to say _"Fat chance…now tell me the rest…"_ but as an act of good will…as much as she hated even conversing with this guy, she let the water down….even on the deck, she had moisture and water all around her, she WAS on a boat, and she could see fog in the distance…but surprisingly, Zuko put his hands down to…and flames.

**"Our lead identified them for us…"** Katara went on, **"…The only one I recognized was the one that was the lookout man within your nation's customs checkers."**

Zuko's expression shifted, **"What?"** he asked.

She kept her jaw tight and her hand on her hip as she said, **"You heard me…someone in YOUR Nations customs station is a tip off man for slavers…unless of course you already know that…."**

That stung, Zuko did know about it…he hadn't really thought to do anything about it until he and his uncle had fled and turned rogue, he'd been so obsessed with the Avatar…so many things had slipped through the cracks. So many things he hadn't even seen in a normal light, much less a new one.

Wait, who did she think she was?….asking as if HE had something to do with the slavers…he'd just saved her life! He gritted his teeth.

**"I just saved your miserable life…."** He said angrily from behind his hair which was slowly growing over his face, **"If you want to point fingers at me go on! See if I care!….Right I have things to do…you can go back to looking for your monkey boy and training him, just stay out of my way… "**

Katara glared at him, "His name is Aang!" she said defiantly, **"I. Don't. Care!" **Zuko spat,

Katara was right on top of his retort, **"By trying to capture him, by burning my village? What kind of person are you? How do you sleep at night?"**

Zuko snarled, punching the metal railing of the boat, making a dent and sparks exploded from his fist as he did.

**"You don't know a THING about me…"** he hissed looking at her.

She stepped back but only an inch, her chin was still high, and her eyes were at his, narrowed and fierce….like two icy caverns withholding a tidal wave behind them like a dam in her eyes.  
His breathing evened, even though it was still heavy with anger,

**"I don't sleep….."** he said, **"My life doesn't let me know what it's like to have a good night's sleep…not anymore."**

**"You're obsessed!"** Katara spat, **"It's sad you know that? That you would throw your life away to just go after some little kid who-"**

Zuko roared, "My Life was thrown away _for_ me!" flame nearly jetted from his nostrils but smoke did manage to escape his throat.

**"You probably lived some care free stupid life with BOTH your parents….ones who didn't scar you for life…" **he said putting his fingers directly under his quite visible scar, **"…and not let you come back home until you'd brought back someone neither of you were sure existed!"**

Katara let the flurry of words hit her but glide off of her like water against the bowl of the ship, **"Don't you DARE talk to me as if you know my life, it's because of people like YOU that I don't have a mother!….That I can't know if my father is mad at me or not cause he's off fighting to keep your nation from tearing more away from us….."**

She didn't mean to cry but there was too much pressure mounted with Aang still being missing, it possibly being her fault, having to forgive Jet, being lost on some boat, and of all people with Prince Zuko who was hitting to many buttons.

Strangely enough Zuko wasn't reeling in anger this time, or contorting his face in a glare, something she'd said had hit home?...

**"Are _you_ the reason why your mother's gone…."** He said putting his hands at his side but keeping his eyes narrowed and out of seriousness more than rage.

Katara was so taken aback by the remark she didn't answer from sheer shock and indignation.

**"….if you aren't…then you have no place to talk either…"** Zuko said, **"Cause I was…"**  
he stalked off after saying that to a part of the ship that wasn't on fire leaving Katara there to stare at him go.

* * *

Toph was busy earth bending the ground to transport herself and the rest of the Gaang across the valley without making tracks.

**"Will this take much longer?"** SmellerBee complained, Sokka rolled his eyes.

**"If you'd rather get off and walk…"** Toph said going over a bump on purpose…

Sokka grimaced as they did, **"Yes please make up your mind…every time you speak to her she makes it bu-UMPY!"** he said as they went over another one.

**"Then maybe you all should PIPE DOWN!" **Toph said jerking her shoulders harder as they moved.

Longshot looked at Sokka, who in turn looked back at him, **"I think you're right if I know what you mean by that…"**

**"Who are you even talking to now!"** Toph said annoyed over her shoulder.

* * *

Jet looked desperately through the boxes that brought into the basement of the watch towers, **"Katara? Katara!"**

he called.

There'd been a mistake, there had to have been…the box should have gone to the tower….unless….

…..unless….there was an incongruity, of course….this was a dirty outpost…as he'd suspected, a "no questions asked" depot…the boxes had been relabeled, that meant smugglers. Stealing was stealing…whether it be goods, or people…and the Fire Nation WASN'T the primary one behind it, just splitting the bill by looking the other way…he didn't see it before….idiot! and now Katara was paying for it, who knew where she was now? Suddenly he heard a noise at the door behind him in the storage basement.

He scooted back against the wall next to the door, then slid down till he was nearly sitting.  
The door opened and light poured into the room, he saw a foot step in.

The Fire Nation guard looked around where he had heard voices among the storage room…he though he saw a box that had been opened, but couldn't tell…he stepped closer still, and suddenly his foot was swept from underneath him by a hook sword and pulled across the floor, as his scream was muffled by a hard hand and the door slammed behind him.

* * *

Ty Lee was sighing looking out over the woodland they would be leaving behind, she leaned on the railing of the air ship's balcony view port, her hair blowing in the wind that was picking up. Strangely enough Azula had meant what she implied, she hadn't asked her a thing about her account in the mountains, or with Aang…and it felt terrifying. Like waiting for a teacher in his office waiting room to be spanked at the academy, only Azula's spanking was something much more….fearful to comprehend. Azula most likely was too caught up with her recent "Victory" at capturing Aang to dwell on her unusual behavior or request they not rough him up…it was as if she'd forgotten she wasn't dead. The sad thing was she'd expected no less, there was a time she'd of been glad to have been greeted the way she was, why else should they over due the welcome? They'd hugged her, asked if she was alright, made a fuss over her, then went back to business of the Avatar, he was priority after all…..

But now she'd met…something else, seen something else, felt genuine friendship…if it had been Aang in their places, if he were this close to possibly saving the world or defeating Oazi or whatever it was his destiny to do…if he'd known she was alive he wouldn't be able to be consolable. Or at least he WOULD have been…now…she wouldn't be surprised if he didn't care if she lived or died.

**"So…."** Came a voice from behind. Ty Lee tried not to jump but couldn't help it,

**"Azula!"** she said nervousness in her voice.

**"Ty….."** Azula said smiling, her arms behind her back. **"I've been talking with the Avatar…"** she said.

Ty tried not to gulp down her fear visibly. **"Y-you did?..."** she said.

Azula nodded and walked out to the railing to. Ty Lee wanted to stand on her hands, flip off the railing, shrink in fear, scream, pass out, and cry all at the same time, but all she could do was stand stalk still.

**"He seems very steadfast in not revealing the location of his friends…"** She said walking closer still.

Ty Lee shrugged, **"oh…"** she said. **"What have you threatened him with?"** she asked trying to emphasize the feel she was on their side still.

Azula did not turn to look at her but put her hands on the railing of the onlook.

**"He seemed very animated about you Ty…"** she said looking out over the trees.

Ty Lee could feel the perspiration streaking down her face.

**"Ty…"** Azula continued, her own hair strands coursing in front of her face from the wind as she talked.

**"I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me honestly…."** She said.

Ty Lee turned her head to look at her,** "Y-yes…"**

Azula still didn't look her in the eye, **"Did the Avatar crush on you?..."**

Ty Lee's heart nearly stopped. She nearly DID pass out had she not been holding onto the railing, whats more she was crazy enough to answer, **"A bit…."** She squeaked out before she could catch herself.

**"And you flirted with him…didn't you? …"** she said with a hint of cockiness. Ty Lee wanted to cry right there.

**"So he'd get you off the mountain with him…."** Azula finished.

Ty Lee gave a double take that thankfully Azula hadn't been looking at to see. **"Well…."** She said, **"I-it…."** She swallowed, **"It worked didn't it…?"** she said fumbling into what she thought might be an out.

Mai came from inside the airship onto the balcony with the two girls.

**"What worked?"** she asked in her interested but bored at the same time way.

Azula smirked turning around **"Clever little Ty her has put that pretty face of hers to good use…"** she said putting an arm around Ty's shoulder, bringing them close. Ty smiled as largely as she could without giving herself away.

**"I-I had no other way to get off the mountain…."**

Mai folded her arms and looked down **"Hmmm"** she breathed out, **"Figures…men are alike like that…."**

**"They are…"** Azula said, "..**and this simpleton of a reincarnated child was no different. In nearly flying to her death you actually lured and wrangled us the prize of the Fire Nations age, with our secret weapon in the wings, we shall have two of the greatest victories in our history..."**

Ty Lee looked at Azula and grinned, the fact that she WASN'T going to die was a helper in playing along.

**"You didn't kiss him to get him to bring you back down did you?"** Mai asked.

Ty Lee shook her head, "It um…never got that far…." She said looking at the ground, almost so that her face could take a break from looking genuine then returned her gaze to her friends.

Azula grinned, **"That's our Ty, she's alluring all by herself."**

Ty had to admit that sounded awkward to her from Azula but pretended to act flattered. **"I'm feeling kind of tired…"** she said.

**"Well by all means see to some rest Ty…"** Azula said. "You've already done more then you intended for the Fire Nation name…"

**"Good to have you back…"** Mai said trying to hold back her actual emotion from the sentence.

Ty Lee smiled, half at her not about to die and half at the genuineness in Mai's voice. She hugged Mai, and Mai actually put an arm around her, it was a stiff, devoid of warmth hug, but a hug from Mai warranted that, if you got one at all.

**"Ma'am!"** came a voice from the door Mai had come out of, behind them stood a Fire Nation soldier who stood at attention.

**"Report…"** Azula said returning her hands behind her back.

**"It's the Avatar's companions…"** he said. Ty Lee's eyes grew then returned to size quickly, thankfully no one had seen…she hoped.

**"Where are they?"** Azula asked without another word.

**"If he intel is correct, they're at one of our commandeered outposts near the coast of Show-Wai…"** he said.

**"Lieutenant Brago has already taken a squad to go see if the intel checks out…"**

Azula walked past him,

**"No…its them…they know their Avatar's in trouble and they're on the move…"** she waved her hand as she walked back into the air ship.

**"Alert the Captains, we're about to take out the second bird with our one stone…send in reinforcements to be ready to pick off any fleeing travelers from that area…they're there."**

Mai followed, Ty Lee bit her lip, **"What about me…"** she said sounding weak…and she was weak, she felt sick to her stomach,

**"You'll slow us down right now…"** Azula said, **"Unless you can snap yourself back into shape on a dime, the main game has been taken down and in custody…you've had a terrible ordeal and deserve a rest."**

Ty Lee nodded, overdoing her ill feeling for effect and began going back up the hall that would lead upstairs to the quarters.

What was she going to do…? Aang was incarcerated on the very vehicle she was, and they were about to take down his friends in addition to this….she couldn't let that happen, it was HER fault that they were in this mess, that HE was in prison and probably tortured, oh god tortured…Azula had said she'd talked with him, she had to make sure he was okay! She found the strength she needed and ran back down the hall then ducked behind a corner when she heard footsteps coming.

It was Azula and several other members of the boarding crew getting their weapons ready, **"She actually came on to him?"** one of them said.

Ty Lee started but kept her voice to herself listening.

**"Well it's only natural…"** she could hear Azula explaining.

**"She's not very bright but still she's smart enough to know she wasn't strong enough to have gotten down that mountain by herself…the Avatar was her best shot at it and let's face it….she's a terrible tease anyway…men only go after her cause she makes it so easy for them, it's not like he actually cares who she is…."**

If Ty was going to say something or make a noise, she'd lost her voice, it felt like being stabbed through the heart. This was how she was welcomed back, how could Azula say those things about her? Behind her back no less, she wanted to cry again, this was too much…

* * *

Jet made his way up the stairs of the Fire Nation outpost tower, he'd already taken down several guards, "unconscious…" cause none of them were the men he knew were involved with the kidnappings, though he wanted too, but still the image of Katara trapped in one of those smugglers crates was in his head everytime he was about to run one of them through…he'd get over it by the forth guard he was sure…the not running them through part. He was GOING to get Katara back…he stuck his life on that.

Toph and the rest had finally made it to the woods outside the gates of the river out post. Sokka was crouched down in the bushes with Longshot, and SmellerBee was with Toph behind some rocks, Toph felt the ground and smiled to herself.

**"Three guards…"** she murmered. **"Two up high…five walking around behind…"**

SmellerBee gave her a look, **"What?"** she asked hissing. Sokka put his fingers to his lips, **"She's doing her hearing mojo thing…"** he said

**"Feeling the vibrations in the ground up ahead to know how many we'll be running into when we charge…"** Toph explained.

SmellerBee raised her eyebrow, **"Does that ACTUALLY work?"**

Toph kept her hand on the ground **"If you want to ask them nicely how many there are…be my guest…"**

Smellerbee snarled, Longshot shook his head and she grumbled resuming her squatting position.

Inside the fort, and in the guard tower that Jet had successfully made it up to, he began looking over the charts and manifests of the day, looking for something to do with Katara's shipment, or the _"special one"_ that would most likely be unmarked by a number or good to transport, just a check meaning that one was due.

He found a gap at the bottom half of the map list, he looked at the sun out the window, I would be time soon, approximately coming in 10 minutes.

He needed to get a signal out to Toph, Sokka, and his band like he'd said. No doubt there were on the opposite side of the wall and awaiting his signal.

He looked around the cabin room and found a box with Firecrackers in it, by their tale and nose he guessed they were signal flares …they would have to do.

Now that he'd located how to signal his friends when the children's shipment came in, he began looking at the manifests to find anything to do with the container that Katara was in. Now to his memory, she was in a container for …vegetables…or packages of some form of grain or wheat or seeds…

Come on, there had to be something….-

**"HEY! YOU!"** came a voice from behind him, Jet turned around in time to see a Fire ball streaking towards his face.

He moved out of the way by turning around again as he stepped forwards towards the thrower of the flame, and threw one of his hook swords as hard as he could in his direction.

* * *

Zuko and Katara were sailing the boat they'd conveniently commandeered back to the shore line, it was within sight so it wouldn't be THAT long to get back on solid ground.

Katara could not believe her predicament, on a boat, WITH the Fire Nation Prince, and helping him sail it…?

She also couldn't believe she was actually somehow…feeling like she should give him a chance.

**"So how'd you get on this stupid boat…."** The Prince said.

She sighed, **"I told you I didn't know didn't I?"** Katara said aggravated.

**"Sorry…."** Zuko said, still steering it.

She noticed he was not as…uptight as he had been…not as…vehemently angry, I mean he still had his temper but…normally he wouldn't be stopping until she was over the side of the boat with the pirates she'd chucked over.

**"You and your uncle…."** She said, **"Your pretty close then?"**

Zuko continued to steer, **"Why do you want to know…"**

Katara rolled her eyes, **"Toph had mentioned that he'd made her tea and sat and talked with her…."**

**"Who's Toph?"** Zuko said in a "how should i know who that is" sort of way,

**"A member of our group, said he gave good advi- _Know what_? Forget it…"** she said grumbling and rested her chin on her folded arms on the rail of the ship.

The fog began to come in and envelop the boat bit by bit, secluding the ocean behind them from view.

**"That sounds like him….."** Zuko said suddenly.

**"What does?"** Katara said looking up.

**"Making Tea's….sitting to talk…..advice for strangers who never asked for it….that sounds like my uncle…"**  
He said.

**"You're close to him then?"** Katara tried again, looking up at him.

Zuko steered the ship a bit to the left, **"Yes…."** He said.

**"Sounds like a very nice man…."** Katara said. Zuko said nothing again.

Katara nodded and looked out at the ocean as they sailed through, **"Why do you journey with the Avatar…"** Zuko said suddenly.

Katara leaned up off the wooden rail and looked back at Zuko, "Are you for real?" then seeing the "not playing" look on his face, she continued,

**"Well…mostly…cause he's going to undo all the hurt in the world…restore balance to the spirit realm and set free all the nations that face oppression…"**

She said, having to admit that sounded rehearsed.

**"Hmf…"** Zuko said gruffly, hardly audible.

Katara folded her arms, **"What? Too much against your belief system?"** she asked with attitude.

**"No…" **Zuko said instead of replying with silence again, which she was expecting.

**"It's actually everything Uncle said he would do too…its why he says I should leave him be…it's the undoing all the hurt in the world I don't buy…..there's some hurts you can't undo…"** he said looking out over the ocean.

Katara looked at his scar as he did so, **"Your…"** she started,

**"Your uncle's the reason why you decided to give up the chase isn't he?..."**

Zuko glared down,** "Why can't you just sit back quietly and help me try to find some land?" **he asked.

**"FINE!"** Katara said and leaned back down over the railing, her elbows on it, an supporting her body as she leaned out further to look at the sea lapping the sides of the boat, shifting her weight.

Zuko on the other hand was piloting the ship and digesting what she was digging into, these were sacred issues, none of this was her affair, he wasn't even quiet sure how this fiery young girl came to even be on this boat with him, the fates must be having a cruel sense of humor type of week.

She was still wet from the previous fight, but it didn't make her look any less attractive he had to admit. In fact, make up aside she was quiet striking from sheer natural feature, and somehow being mad brought that out in her, not to mention the water on her clothes were making them…hug a little especially the area beneath her lower back….

Wait what was he thinking about? This was all having too much of a toll on him…he'd been away from Mai a long time sure but GAH!

**"So why don't you know where the Avatar is now?" **he asked trying to take his mind off of the awkward moment he was in mentally.

**"I thought you wanted me to help look for land or something…"** Katara said sternly.

**"Alright…."** Zuko said exasperatedly, **"I'm sorry just…forget it….yeah, he is the reason I stopped chasing him…"**

Katara looked around this time,

**"My uncle…"** he continued, **"He is the reason…I've never really…seen life the way I see it now till he started helping me…"**

Katara leaned off the railing, **"I haven't even treated him like an uncle, but he's never treated me like a nephew…"** he went on.

She folded her arms and stood now, **"What do you mean?"** she asked.

He looked out at the ocean again, **"He treats me like a son…..I'm not used to it…I haven't been treated like one in a long time…"**

**"Oh…"** Katara said,** "I'm sorry."**

**"Don't be…"** Zuko said, **"The fogs getting a little thick, think you can do something about that?"**

Katara would've made a remark about that if she weren't somehow intrigued by his story, there was a different air about the Prince, he was hot headed to be sure…but not violently obsessive….there was a piece in his gaze that she hadn't seen before, and what was driving him to find this "Uncle" of his was a hint of what she'd seen in his face when his sister had blasted him to make her escape…actual pain…regret…confusion, innocence even….not knowing why he was where he was…

She began bending the fog slowly out of the way to the best of her ability,

**"So…."** She said while she bent, she was thinking of asking a point that had been predominant in her mind since he'd brought it up, his mother and hers, but after his reaction to simple subjects that were obviously tender, she decided to try elsewhere.

**"What are you and your uncle attempting to do now…?"** she asked instead.

The ship swayed making a creaking noise as Zuko turned the ship more with more vision to aid him.

**"I'm not sure…."** Zuko said, **"Just something that wasn't…what we WERE doing….and what about you, why aren't you with the Avatar anymore?"**

That caught Katara in the throat, **"He ran off…"** she stated, knowing that wasn't nearly enough.

**"Why?"** Zuko said, **"Tired of being protected, or was he not ready to take down my father?..."**

Katara turned around like this **"Aang is one of the bravest people I know…" **she said indignantly, then cooled down, **"But…no its….I said something that made him leave, he's off on his own now, or in hiding…I don't know…"** she wanted to say captured for all she knew but she didn't want Zuko getting the idea that his life's endeavor had been taken in within a matter of days, she didn't want to give him another reason to explode, and this was thin ground as it was.

**"He'll be back…"** Zuko said.

**"How do you know?" **Katara asked looking at the ocean again and clearing the fog.

**"I don't…" **Zuko replied, **"I just mean….he's not enough like me, to go off and never come back…he cares to much about everyone…"**

Katara realized this was his own weird way of giving Aang a complement and didn't follow it up.

**"So what do you and your uncle have to do with this…Slaver issue?"** she said remembering now their most pressing topic.

**"He saw an old symbol…or thought he did…."** Zuko said sighing, as if he now realized he was actually talking with her but saw no point in turning back.

**"He recognized it…said it was a crest used by thieves, traffickers…on one of these vehicles…My uncle was convinced something was amiss, so he went to investigate, I said I'd wait for him before we moved to the next town….."**

Katar suddenly realized that she had more applications then just fog removal and began bending the water beneath the boat and made it go a bit quicker.

**"He didn't come back….I asked around for him finally but no one said they'd seen him…I could tell they were lying, then I saw one of the men he'd pointed out boarding one of the ships….I tried to following him…"**

Katara finished, **"But you chose the wrong ship…."** Zuko again replied with silence.

She wanted to blurt out about how Zuko was wrong about her parents not being happy cause she had no _parents_, it wasn't plural. But what she eventually said was,

**"Well…I hope you find your uncle…."**

Zuko said nothing but she'd expected it.

Suddenly she heard a noise, So did Zuko, suddenly in the fog they could hear the noise of whooshing over their heads like huge birds, but also creaking, like ships but in the air.

Zuko stopped steering and put his fingers up to Katara before she could utter **"What is that?"**

They both looked up and the fog began to envelope the ship again, above them they saw several shapes of birds flying over them, but the size of horses or bigger.

**"What are those?"** Katara asked.

Zuko noticed their stiff, skeletal, non flapping wings and knew immediately.

**"With my kind of luck….it's my dear sister…"**

Toph put up her hand, _**"SHHH!"**_ she said, **"There's a caravan coming…."** The group backed up further into the woods and Longshot, like a monkey almost was in the tree before anyone could blink. Sokka hid behind a bush, and held up a largely leafed tree branch in front of his face just in case, Toph shook her head.

Indeed a caravan was coming, pulled by Rhino deer, large carts filled with boxes with holes in the sides. The sign on the sides read live stalk, but Toph's eyes narrowed.

**"What is it?"** Smellerbee asked, **"Those aren't animals breathing…."** She said. SmellerBee looked up at Longshot who nodded at her with a stern look, **"Your right…its them." **She replied to him, and took out her large knife, **"Let's go!"**

Suddenly a rock wall appeared in front of her, **"WHAT. Are you doing?"** She hissed as silently as she could.

Toph looked from behind her foliage, **"We wait for the plan, if we do something now we'll risk the kids, we need to let them get on the ship, then steal it…then there'll be no danger of them getting hurt or stolen back…"**

SmellerBee looked up at Longshot who nodded to her, **"Fine fine…"** she said, **"Just don't put it that way…."**

Toph nudged SmellerBee, **"Hey….here's the good part…."** She made a hole in the ground.

The men dressed in uniforms driving the carts along dismounted and walked up to the gates, **"40 cow-hogs from the mountains…"** the man said approaching the booth, and showing him the papers.

The man in the booth looked over the papers, saw the tell-mark on the underside of the symbol, and passed them anyway.

**"Let them through…." **The usual routine was to have the guards look over the crates, but that stamp was his contacts tell for them to let them through without a check, he made an easy triple on his salary and no questions were asked.

The carts were hauled into the fortress one by one and the guards made ready to close the door.

Meanwhile, in the tunnel that Toph had dug right underneath the carts, SmellerBee and Toph were the last ones to grab onto the underside of the large wheeled carriages and dangle from it as it passed over them. Toph used her earth bending to close up the hole behind them as she dangled from the underside of the carriage, both her and SmellerBee stayed perfectly still. Longshot and Sokka were already hanging onto the underside of the cart in front of them, right behind the Rhino-deer. Now all they could hope for was for Katara and Jets' part of the plan to work.


	19. Chapter 19

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_**Villition**_

The flying machines past overhead one by one, Zuko counted at least 19 of them, all headed to their Northeast, they were heading for land he guessed.

He turned to Katara,

"So what's your interest in helping these kids?" he asked in a quiet tone due to the cercumstances.

Katara glanced at him, "It's the right thing to do…" she said as if it was obvious, which in a way it was.

"You should try-" she caught herself. "Sorry…"

"Whatever…" Zuko said, and gazed in the direction the flyers had gone.

"Do you think they saw us?" Katara asked, "No…" Zuko responded, "If they did they would have circled by now, they're heading towards land…"

Katara's eyes lit up, "That must be where the depot is…." Suddenly it all clicked to her…

"Oh no…." she said, and began to bend the water beneath the ship to make it go without use of the sails.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked a little annoyed, "..The smugglers ships were going that way!"

Katara kept bending, "I have to get back to them…." she said.

She heard a flame go up behind her and could feel heat, "I'm taking this boat and saving my uncle…" Zuko said. "I thought I made it clear a bit ago…"

Katara didn't move for a second, she could take him on sure….she was in the middle of the ocean…meaning endless supply of water and fog to cloud her movements….but she didn't' want to waist the time, her friends were poised to move at sundown, and the sun was already halfway beneath the surf.

Zuko had his hands out, flaming again, ready for her to lash out at him…

She just turned around, not aggressively, but purposefully, with her hand on her hip.

"You REALLY want to fight?" she asked.

"Cause if so…I'd love nothing more than to encase you in ice and leave you out here like a buoy…but in case you've forgotten….there are KIDS out there about to be sold, ones your uncle wherever he is was trying to rescue! My friends are back there about to risk their lives to save them just like him…..so if you actually are finished trying to make someone proud altogether, help me make your uncle proud by helping me go back so I can keep your_"Dear sister"_ from ruining everything for everyone….including those kids, unless you think she'll have any more compassion on them…" she finished seriously.

Zuko just stood there, still in fighting stance, her talking to him like that made him want to follow through and attack so that he could get back to steering the ship after the smugglers he was after…but even though she had hit quite the nerve with him, mentioning him making someone proud…she had also hit the nerve home…

She stood there now, defiantly, daring him on, those icy caverns in her eyes blazing brighter than any of Azula's flames, boring into his own hellfire stare, matching it…dousing it…and while her demeanor challenged his he reflected…what was he doing?  
Were his uncle here right now, he'd be saying _"Zuko…I am an old man, I know how to take care of myself, these innocence are more important…you both must find a way to put aside your indifference for their sake Zuko…"_  
He sighed and his hands went to his sides once again,

**"Let's make this fast…."** He said. Katara nodded, jaw still locked and turned back to the front of the boat, making the water lap the sides of the boat to push it on towards where Zuko had directed as land.

* * *

Toph held onto the under girdings of the carriage tightly, knowing that if she hung a little lower than the wheels gears it would be noticed.

They were coming up on the warehouse now, she listened to Smellerbee's breathing, it was very steady, angry and focused, it was obvious this kind of pressure didn't faze her. She just hoped that her patience lasted the length of this plan.

Finally all the carriages were inside the large building, and rhino deer were lead off to be fed. Thankfully they weren't looking down when they unfastened their chains or they would have seen Longshots feet. The huge doors were shut behind them. It was dark, the room was lit only by two small torches that hung from the ceiling. After waiting half a minute Sokka tapped the underside of the wheel of his carriage.

On cue the band dropped from the cart's underbelly's then rolled from underneath. After putting her feet on the ground Toph felt the vibrations return to her feet telling her of something else…

"Guys…" she said. Everyone turned to see Kangaroo-hounds with very, very long chains attached to their collars that were fastened to a post in the ground. They could reach them they knew, but even more than a full on attack, the creatures that were glaring at them right now could raise the alarm. Doberman hound-kangaroo's especially had a very loud and fearsome bark, and they were snarling at them all right now.

Smellerbee pushed past everyone and Sokka was about to pull her back but missed as she jerked her shoulder forward to avoid being grabbed as she looked at the large growling creatures that were now standing on their hind legs and looking down at her. They would be nearly eye to eye with Sokka if the stood their tallest, not hunched over, but to Smellerbee and Toph they were towering.

"SIT!" she barked at them, well more hissed actually as she didn't want to be too loud for the sake of being heard outside.

The way she'd said _"Sit"_ was so forceful it even made Sokka jump a bit, and surprisingly the two creatures sat back down, still snarling a bit but recoiling none the less. She looked them both in the eye.  
"Don't make me come over there!" she said in pieces, the dogs backed away on their bellies making low wining sounds that dogs.

Toph smiled, "Wow…." She said, "You gotta way with animals…."

Smellerbee huffed, "Huh! Yeah well…I just don't take their mess is all…come'on we got kids to rescue remember…" she said turning and walking past Toph.

Sokka walked up to one of the boxes and began to untie the rope around it, "Hang in there…"  
He said in a hushed voice, _"We'll get you out…"_

He opened the box lid a little, only to be lapped across the face by a long tongue that snaked out of the opening he had made, then slipped back into the crate.

_"EWEEhEW!"_ Sokka said wiping his face and making the weirdest hand motions any of them had ever seen.  
"What kind of kids are they!" he hissed.

Toph rolled her eyes, "That's an aardvark-platapus…." She said.

Smellerbee spoke up, "It's obvious they want crates with REAL live stock in them in case they get checked by border patrol somewhere down the line…"

Longshot tapped on another box with his arrow, putting his ear to it, and nodded. Toph walked over to it,  
"Right, _THIS_ is the box…." She said, "I can hear them breathing…they're still asleep…"

Sokka got alongside Longshot and began to untie the box, "How did they sleep through the whole trip over here?" he asked.

"Probobly cause they were put under first…" Smellerbee said shrugging as she climbed on top of one of the crates.

Sokka looked disgusted and Longshot nodded at him conveying his equal dislike. Toph sniffed, "She's right…I can smell Kai-atsu…they use it on creatures to put them to sleep when they skin them…." She shuddered.

Longshot helped Sokka take the lids off the crates with the children inside. They were all there, about 4-6 in each box, huddled around each other like puppies. Toph looked at the rest of them, "I'll get in with this group…" she said. "You and me are small enough to be their size so, if they look in the crates it'll be less likely they notice something is off."

Smellerbee nodded and got in another box with another group of sedated kids.

Sokka and Longshot helped put the lid back on, "Okay…" Sokka said, "Now for the hard part…."

Outside, the guards of the building heard barking. One of the Fire Nation officers peered from underneath his helmet that was tipped over his eyes as he dozed in his chair… "You two…" he said to two passing guards, "See what those mutt's r' up in awake about….I swear if it's another rat…."

The guards went inside, there was silence then both guards came out again, this time with their helmets and masks on.

"Was it anything?" the guard said looking up again,

One of them just shook his head, the other one said, "Uh..AHEM, no sir…it was just a rat….sir! But we roasted it alive with our fire bending!" standing almost too upright in salute.

The guard shook his head and tipped his head again, "Give em some left overs to shut em up…." He ordered, "I had 2 night shifts, none stop, and this is the only window I get to sleep that off…"

"Yes sir!" the saluting one said, and the other one just nodded his head and they both went their way.

Inside the guard house across the water, Jet was looking over the ledger's and manifests….he finally found something that resembled the protocol for loading a set of cargo immediately. It had been highlighted with red ink, meaning it must be the routine they were using in case of shipping an "Unspecified piece of cargo.." He hoped this was the right procedure for today….

He glanced back at the soldiers he'd had a tussel with, laying motionless…

He tightened the Fire Nation uniform he'd borrowed from one of than, went over to the wire that lead up from the desk of the tower, to the ceiling, then fed outside through the roof to a pole that lead another wire across the water to the other tower on the opposite sure. If he tapped the right number of times like morse code, he could send a message that hopefully only his group would understand, and that the guards on the other line would have a sense of humor.

In the guard house across the water, a message was being sent over by morse, as it clicked and tapped the guard began writing down the message:

_"Carrier pigeon hawk sent news- Stop. Shipment of livestock 5 to be shipped early- Stop. This is not a very distracting job- Stop. Not by a longshot- Stop. Hope you're having more fun than me- Stop."_

The guard looked at the sheet of paper, smiled then handed it over his shoulder to an officer in the other chair behind him, he laughed at it then said,

"Tell him it's his fault for requesting the tower 7 shift." Then got on the horn while his friend tapped in said message back to the tower.

The megaphone hatch opened and he called out, "Attention, shipment of Livestock to be sent ahead of schedule…ships coming in early. Over."

Sokka and Longshot came towards the message office in their Fire Nation uniforms just as the alert was finished. Sokka took a breath and looked at Longshot from behind his helmet mask, "You ready?" Longshot nodded, "Well improvising's gotten us this far..."

He opened the door saying, "Hey have you seen um…Ling?" There were a lot of Lings in the Fire Nation and he hoped that at least SOMEONE there was named such.

"Hmmm?" the guard said turning around in his chair. "No I…but he sent me this message…" he said smiling and gave the piece of paper to him.

Longshot and Sokka took it, phew, well they didn't have to say, "We're here to look over the messages for today's cargo…"

Reading it their eye's grew and they looked at each other.

"Funny right? I mean I told him didn't I? It's as boring as hell in that guard tower and you have even less of a chance of finding a replacement for the winter but no…."the man said looking between the two of them.

Sokka nodded to the man and deliberately laughed loudly with him until Longshot bumped his arm with his elbow, "Ahem…Wait till we tell the rest of the boys that one…" Sokka said recovering, and they both left the office.

Around the corner, Sokka and Longshot talked about the message, "This is from Jet and Katara alright…" Sokka said, "But I think he's wanting you to be a distraction….I thought Katara was supposed to handle that…think they're okay up there?" Longshot strummed his chin, then nodded and took out his bow and arrow.

Sokka sighed and went back to the warehouse, tip towing in an attempt to be inconspicuous. Longshot shook his head and made his way in the other direction.

* * *

Katara continued to bend the water to make the ship go a bit faster, as well as bend the fog out of the way, only to land it either over them or behind them again so as to mask their presence. She was only leaving a window open for Zuko to see directly in front of them, like making a tunnel through the fog.

He had to admit her…annoying dance or whatever water benders called it…did seem now like an actual dance, and she did it very well…there were even some parts where she jumped from one part of the deck to another on her toes, he wasn't quite sure what that was meant for but asking her about it would only mean engaging in more conversation again with more pointed questions.

Suddenly Katara stopped in her motions and looked out over the water, and so did Zuko, they were approaching a large, ominous looking shape, a little bigger than the boat they were on. It had to be another ship, or the oddest shaped rock or building in the middle of the ocean.

Zuko jumped down from the steering platform and cut the ropes to the sails. "Hide behind something…" he hissed and pulled her towards some of the rubble and boxes from the previous fight.

She did so without question, was this the ship that the Fire Nation flying machines were flying to too land on? Or just another commercial vehicle.…or perhaps another smuggler ship….

Suddenly they passed a large tall shape in the fog, like a tower or….no it was a rock….suddenly they passed another, then more and the ship learched to one side.

It became apparent that they were embarking on a set of rocks that were jetting out of the water in formation, and that the ship they were closing in on must have been stuck on the rocks like they were about to be.

Zuko and Katara both leapt up, and Katara began trying to use water stop their momentum towards the rocks but the boat was already picking up too much speed, she instead bent the water into Ice in front of them as a buffer to take the impact if they came to actually colliding on the rocks.

The ship creaked and lerched again as it bumped into another rock spire and they Zuko lost his balance as he we made his way up the steps of the ship to the helm. He fell to his one side, and with no hand railing there to stop him from being burnt off in the fight before, he fell over the side.

"Zuko!" Katara said and rushed over to the side of the ship, to see him dangling by one hand off the side of the ship.

"Just hang on!"

Katara said, she went back looking from left to right and found a reel of rope she'd remembered being there and lowered it over the side of the ship. She looked to the side to see another rock slowly coming upon them along the side of the ship, it was nearly grazing it. If it reached Zuko before she pulled him up, he'd be crushed between the two. With all her might she pulled, after fastening her end of the rope to the deck with ice. Zuko came up and over and rolled onto the deck, well before the rock came to where he had been dangling, but still it would have been close had they not acted so quickly.

Katara breathed out helping him to his feet, "We're even now…" she said smirking a little.

He shook her off, "Just help me steer this ship!" he said climbing back up to the helm and brushing past her.

Katara's mouth hung open with a "Ugh!" Of all the ungreatful….

"MOVE!" Zuko said again looking disturbed at something ahead of them. She turned around to see them heading towards not a spire but a boulder sticking out of the water that the Ice buffer wouldn't brace all the impact for, and she bent with all her might the water before them to help them take the hit on the side, the boat creaked and shook as it scraped the side of the rock then finally stopped.

They were stuck…wonderful…..not only that, someone would have had to of heard them in the fog from the other ship. They could make it out more than 10 yards away from the rock formation they were stuck in.

Zuko walked back to the deck from the quarter deck where the helm was, and surveyed their situation.

"Think you can jostle us loose?" Zuko asked.

Katara cocked her head at Zuko hand on her hip, "Your welcome by the way…." she grumbled.

Zuko looked at her, "Sorry, thank you, but I thought we were in a hurry and I don't want to know the hard way if those guys are hostile…, they have the bigger boat whoever they are."

Katara sighed and turned her head.

Ugh, so much attitude…Zuko thought, so different then Mai…he missed her.

"I don't see any lights or hear any voices…" she said in a low key. "So hopefully it means they haven't heard us or have already abandoned ship…" she finished.

"Or…it means they're listening for what we'll do next…" Zuko said.

Katara walked to the front of the ship, "I might be able to get us free…." She theorized as she bent over the railing to see.

"Could take some time though, I don't want the side of the ship more damaged then it already…" she looked over her shoulder at Zuko staring.

"What are you looking at…?"…. she asked,

"Nothing." Zuko said hurriedly, "Do you think we're close enough to land…?" he asked walking over to be next to her.

"We might be…" she said, "Judging by these rocks…depends…want to see how well you walk on ice?"

Zuko glanced at her, "Do I have a choice?"

Katara shrugged, "Of course….you can always stay on the boat and wait for me to get you…"

Zuko rolled his eyes, "Whatever…let's do this…"

* * *

Brago soared over the sea, the mist and ocean spray hit his face. They were above it enough to not be impaired visually, yet low enough to know if they were any closer to the shipping yard.

"Hang a right men…" He called, and veered his vehicle right so that the wind would catch it more.  
They all did in turn, he'd guessed Azula would want to catch the rest of the Avatar's comrades herself to ice the cake of having him in her clutches. They were the perfect incentive for him to stay where he was and not try to escape. They had captured him before he knew, he just knew the ticket was to keep him captured…  
This meant so much to him, he had been a part of nabbing the Avatar, it would come out that he had been the one to find the scarf in the mountains that lead to them tracing his tracks in the gypsy camp. He'd be promoted to captain or higher…and be able to take a wife and support her….and provide an alternate living situation for his step sister…so she wouldn't have to marry well like his step mother did…

Veering right again, he saw the shore line. They were only a little ways away from the actual depot…soon they would be landed, and reunited with ground forces, able to pursue the Avatar's party on foot, and on foot they would be much easier to track then the kehoshi warriors were.

* * *

Katara made her ice bridge carefully going from their ship, to a rock as an under girding for it, then to another rock, and so on till they reached the hull of the bigger ship. Zuko nearly lost his balance several times, she knew it wasn't the sturdiest of ice bridges but she was trying to be subtle.

Katara glanced up at the railing of the other ship then back at Zuko who had his swords ready. He nodded to her and she made their Ice bridge rise a bit to see over the edge…they didn't see anyone.

"Looks clear…" she whispered, Zuko nodded and said, "Make some water splash near that side of the ship to make it look like we're coming from over there…." She nodded did so, the water jetted up, lapped the side of the ship making a thump, then sat back in the ocean. Nothing.

They looked at each other then carefully went over the side of the ship. The silence was as thick as the fog aside from the sound of the ocean.

He took his swords out for good measure and peered around the much larger deck, Katara peered over the opposite side of the ship, "Zuko!" she said in a hushed beckon. Zuko sped over to the side she was peering over.

"Land…" he said.

Indeed, there amongst the soupy fog, was a beach, only a small distance from the ship and the rocks, it was now obvious the ship had run aground, apparently everyone had either gone ashore or abandoned it before it had come up on the beach.

She couldn't see the beach itself but she could tell by the way the waves kept coming back that they were beating on a surf.

"Even if they abandoned ship, they would have left someone behind in case someone found this tub…." Zuko said, Katara nodded.

Zuko looked back at the quarter deck, he motioned to her, and they both went towards the door that would lead into the hull downstairs.

"I"ll go first…" Zuko said.

Katara descended after him as he pushed the door open with his sword and crept down the steep stair.

She had to confess it was terribly odd working alongside him so….naturally…I mean a second ago they would have been at each other's throats, yet she wakes up to having to fight for her life alongside him, and help him secure a boat, and sail it…yet their urgencies kept them going, forcing them to continue to move against the clock. Zuko wanted his uncle back, and she needed to get to those children, to her friends before they too would fall into danger.

Going down the halls of the ship, they could see several empty rooms, a sleeping quarter, kitchen, doctors room…no life whatsoever. Suddenly Zuko heard Katara yell "Zuko…look over here" from the other side of the hall. He rushed over to her side to see a stair case leading down to a hallway of empty cells.

"This must have been where they were going to put them…" Zuko said.

"Terrible…." Katara said with remorse and contempt. "How could anyone treat a child like that?"

Zuko touched his scar and shook away a memory with a shake of his head. He noticed thankfully Katara didn't see.

"Is anyone down here?..." she asked, stepping down the steps, Zuko sighed, "If they're gone they would have taken their merchandise with them…." He said.

"They aren't merchandise their children!" Katara said turning around, glaring at him with those icy blue eyes.

"I know!" Zuko said loudly in turn "I didn't mean it like that I'm just trying to put myself in their shoes to understand how they would…" he stopped suddenly hearing something outside a window of the ship.

_"Shhh!"_ he said raising his sword to motion her to follow him. She got low and followed him back up the steps to the window. Glancing out, they could see shapes amidst the fog walking along the beach…  
They were in a long procession, some of them appeared to have sticks or weapons.

"You think its them?" Katara said. Zuko narrowed his eyes, "We're about to find out if we don't hurry, come on…."

Katara and Zuko quickly made their way back up to the deck, then to the other side of the ship facing the water.

"Get ready…" she whispered "when I make the ice raft bellow us, you jum-"

Suddenly Zuko shoved her out of the way, "Look out!" he bellowed, and sliced with his sword hitting a rock headed for the back of her head and splitting it two.

Katara spun out being shoved with her arms out, ready to bend the ocean behind her at the attacker.

Before her and Zuko were several men just coming off the gang plank onto the deck.

Some had metal balls on chains they swung around, others had sabers, others their fists just like before.

Men whooped and howled from above them, lowering themselves on ropes where apparently they had been hiding. Perhaps they had decided not to attack them till now cause they were waiting for the full force of their crew to return.

Zuko ignited his swords in flames gritting his teeth, then instead of attack, set fire to their ship by lightly touching their mast.

The men atop the masts jumped off completely or climbed up higher. Zuko began attacking the pirates in a relentless fury, ducking and evading the stone cannon balls they were lobbing at him and Katara.

Katara on the other hand was keeping her back to a part of the ship to use the ocean behind her to gain water enough to bend at the men, but they were launching stones to fast, and were pushing her against the railing.

She got to more of a high ground by moving to the side and leaping on a plat form, where she then channeled the water behind her into a huge wave, some of the pirates backed up.

Zuko looked behind him at her, and instead of being impressed his eyes widened.

"NO!" he said "Get off of-!"

But it was too late, a pirate near some ropes chopped one of them, and Katara saw that she was on one of the attack catapults….as it launched her into the air flailing and screaming.

She went over the ship and the beach heading for some palm trees. She quickly grabbed onto one of their leaves so she wouldn't fall straight down and dangled from it a little before it broke in her hand, landing her on her backside smartly.

Zuko grunted and sliced a rope he saw lead to a beam of the ship that was taught, and held onto the rope so that it swung outwards towards the beach and pulled him with it.

He swung on the rope, fire bending any attacks coming his way from the crew bellow, and let go just as it jerked to a stop over the beach.

He landed in the sand in a roll and ran past several pirates on the beach who were running for Katara before she could get to her feet. He set them aflame as he passed them running to her until he was again side by side with her amidst the palm trees.

"You idiot why didn't you look where you were-" He fire bent to take out a stone cannon ball coming his way. "…where you were going!" he finished.

Katara just buttoned her lip angrily and kept on water bending from her satchel as she was now a bit further from the sea.

"Just help me get back to the surf so we can make this allot easier…" she grumbled.

Zuko played is part and attacked fiercely against the oncoming slavers and pirates that were attempting to smash them with nearby rocks, cutting a route back to the beach.

The ground in the palm treed area was still sandy so they weren't that far, but the pirates seemed to have guessed their strategy and walled them in where they were.

Suddenly some slavers who were hiding atop a rock above them threw a net down at them, and Zuko set it on fire instinctually.

Katara screamed and water bent it to put it out, turning it into ash, and consequently using up some of her water.

"Thanks genius!" she hissed. "I'm not the one who got themselves catapulted off a ship!" he retorted as more and more pirates approached.

"No...but that does sound like you…" came a familiar voice.

Suddenly one of the hooded pirates who had just run up to join the others took his off to reveal the elderly kind face of Iroh!

"Uncle!" Zuko said in surprise. The old man quickly set fire to a nearby branch he had picked up, and kicked it at several of the pirates, then stood back to back with Katara and his nephew.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko asked getting next to him and Katara.

"It is good to see you to nephew…" Iroh said facing their foes.

"Good to know you're that grumpy with with everyone…" Katara murmered too Zuko.

The Captain resumed a fighting stance with his butterfly swords out, "It's still 3 of them to all of us…." he said, "Kill the old man and bring me those two…especially the girl, she'll fetch a higher penny..."

Zuko and Iroh moved together as one, jerking both their fists outwards making an arrow head of fire that expanded, making the men have to duck.

Together they successfully moved Katara to the sea where she had her advantage again, making water arms to grab them and slam them into rocks….

"Uncle…" Zuko said while fighting, "How did you escape?"

Iroh laughed shooting out another fire blast "Was never captured….I impersonated one of their men and me and a comrade joined their crew as they left…we were sent out to find out how far we were from the customs station and I found out where their tradeoff is to be…from a town by the shore…"

Katra blinked, "Wait…" she said, blocking a rock with a water arm, "What comrade?" she asked.

"The one I've been stalling for…" he said smiling and putting his hands down.

Zuko kept his own hands up in fighting position looking confused at his uncle "Are you crazy uncle? What are you doing?" he asked.

Suddenly the ground beneath the sailors feet began to move, but it wasn't by their doing judging by the shock on their faces. The ground or more specifically the sand from the beach was swallowing their feet up.

Suddenly they began sinking into the sand like it was quick sand, and began yelling for their lives.

The captain was now the only one with his head and shoulders above the ground and desperately tried to grab onto something to keep from sinking any lower. The rest of his crew were already up to their noses and were staying perfectly still so as not to open their mouths to let sand in.

"Do you surrender…." Came a firm voice.

"Or do I get to burry you all like the dead meat you deserve to be…."  
(_The voice is that of Timberwolf's on __Legion of Super heroes_.)

The captain stopped flailing, and turned slowly around as much as he could to look at who Katara Zuko and Iroh now where.

Standing atop a rock, was a young man, looking 15-14 ish, broad shouldered, dark skinned, more than Katara's at least, but not quite umber. His hair was…an odd texture of black but also silver, and cut short.

He wore a black and deep scarlet, almost violate tunic. He had what looked like grey bandages around his hands and feet in the fashion of a desert nomad…

Suddenly the sand before the Captains face began to move and one of his own butterfly swords stuck out of the sand and touched the tip of his throat.

"We surrender…" the Slaver Captain said, putting his arms all the way up as his chin beard was nearly trimmed.

"Iroh…." The boy said gruffly still. "You alright?"

Iroh smiled, "I am perfectly fine….thank you for coming so quickly."

Zuko and Katara both were perplexed at what was going on, and who this dark skinned boy was…

The boy hopped down from the rocks and walked past the blinking eyed heads of the slavers, looking like gophers in the sand.

"Nephew…this young man is named _Daiken,_ he's from the desert village of Tai-Quo." Iroh said as he approached the three.

"Hmmm…" the boy said looking Zuko over, Zuko surveyed him with the same reserve, not smiling either. He was not taller than Zuko but was every bit as physically fit, if not a bit more.

Iroh turned to Katara, "Oh nephew…." He said, "You have not yet re-introduced me to this lovely young girl you were fighting alongside."

"Katara." She replied sweetly, "Your Zuko's uncle…it's good to meet you…again…" Iroh grinned and Daiken just nodded.

Zuko cut in, getting right to the point, "She was taken on one of the smugglers ships…I got on the wrong one looking for you and bumped into her…we sailed the ship back to land because we saw Fire Nation gliders headed this way."

Daiken nodded, "Saw those too…" he said, "They're about a mile out from the docking depot…along the shores the quickest way to get there…."

Iroh then turned to Zuko who was about to open his mouth, "I know you have many questions…." He said. "But for now we must move…or many young children will be torn away from their families forever….

Katara nodded, "We should go on. What about these men-"

She was cut off as Daiken quickly and effortlessly went up to each of them and pinched the sides of their necks in a way that made them pass out and sink further into the sand.

"They'll live." He said. "Let's move out…"

Zuko was about to remark on "oh is he giving orders now?" but the group began to move so he went with them, still frowning.

Meanwhile Daiken looked at his hand where the grey bandage had been partially uncovered around his wrist and hand, revealing a pale lotus tattoo that resembled a Pai-Sho piece…


	20. Chapter 20

_Last minute rectifications_

Katara walked along the shore of the beach. **"So how did you get into the enemy's camp..er crew?"** She asked while walking.

Iroh took a deep breath as they half-jogged. **"I was traveling with my nephew here when I noticed some men with a crest known by few as **_**Sea Vulture**_**, they are named this because like a sea-vulture they swoop in and steal children off of the coast of little towns unable to protect themselves, I did not think that they would have trade this close into fire nation colonies but I was proved wrong…."**

Zuko spoke up, **"You still haven't explained who this sand bender is…" **

Daiken glanced at Zuko not quite glaring but frowning to match his displeasure at seeing him.

Iroh cleared his throat, **"Daiken is a sand bending nomad…he serves as a bounty hunter and was commissioned to locate a child and return him to his parents…"**

Katara looked at him, he was scarcely her height, and certainly just her age…yet had an occupation as a bounty hunter?

"**How did you **_**just happen**_** to meet?..."** Zuko said not believing the coincidental meeting being the answer.

Iroh glanced at Daiken's left hand that was uncovered by sand bandage wrapping, there was a tattoo that resembled a Pai-Sho piece.

"**Let's just say, we know friends who know each other…."** Iroh said glancing back in the direction they were going. Daiken in turn acknowledged the reference and didn't say a word either.

**"Well regardless…"** Katara said, **"Thank you for stepping in…" **Daiken didn't regard her by looking at her fully, he just glanced back at her and grunted showing his accepting the complement.

Zuko spoke again, **"So when you went aboard their ship…"** Zuko said, **"..why didn't you flag me or tell me you were planning on impersonating them and sailing with them?"**

Iroh shook his head, "That was an unfortunate mistake nephew…" he said. **"We were boarding the ship to see if we could rescue any children already on board, but discovered the cells to be empty, and the ship began to leave port before we could return to deck, our only hope was to wait for them to dock someplace else, and try to find out where their destination was."**

Daiken spoke up now, turning his attention to everyone;  
**"We over heard them above deck talking about coming to collect a larger load of kids with another ship, as well as some kind of…secret weapon…and that the ship we were in was going to be used to contain…We decided to pretend we were some of the crew to see if we could sabotage the transaction and save the hostages. We ran into the bad weather and ran aground, we were deployed to go look for a neighboring town for directions, I tied and gagged the remaining crew that stayed behind and ran north to see if I could locate the depot in case Iroh couldn't discover anything."**

Iroh turned to Zuko, putting a hand on his shoulder,  
**"It was not my intention to leave you behind Zuko….I had to act based on what was happening….but I am proud to see you went with your heart and decided to go after the children out of your own independent decision…"**

Zuko looked at Katara then looked away,  
**"Actually uncle I was looking for you…..it wasn't until I met her that I began looking for them…"** he said with a hint of shame.

Zuko didn't feel Iroh's hand leave his shoulder, **"Still you ended up making the right choice…and I couldn't ask for more seeing your end result."** Iroh persisted.

Katara decided to let him and Zuko have their moment and ran ahead to Daiken, trying to get a bit more out of him.

**"So um…."** She started. Daiken didn't turn his head,

**"Do you know any more about this _"Secret weapon?"_** she asked. Daiken shut his eyes then looked at her, his stare wasn't menacing or threatening, but something about it unnerved her.

He got closer to as they walked and said in a tone lower then hers, **"Don't tell the old man I told you…but the way they were talking….sounded like they were referring to a person…not a machine…"**

Katara blinked,  
**"a person….?"** She asked.

Daiken went on still a bit more hushed:

**"Don't quote me on this either…"** he said, **"But my money is…..with the way talk has been circulating around this valley….they got their hands on the avatar…."**

Katara gasped.

* * *

It was morning at the depot now,

Sokka and Longshot breathed deeply, him with the crates waiting to be sent out, Longshot on the other side of the complex with his bow, awaiting for said crates to be loaded onto barge that would take them to the ship…if it came…hopefully Katara was okay….and Jet too….Sokka had to admit he'd turned a nobility corner…at least in the less-ruthless way.

**"Has the ship arrived yet?"** asked Toph.

Sokka shook his head, **"WELL?"** Toph asked a bit louder.

Hit his forehead with his palm, **"OH right…um no not yet…be patient… Katara knows what she's doing…."** I hope…he thought.

Longshot was on the roof of one of the box like building, watching as crates and bags were loaded by beast, man, or crane to one end of the complex to the other…it was the perfect birds eye view…

Suddenly he saw the ship, it was coming out of the caves and headed into view slowly on the water. The man at the nose of the ship raved his colored flare.

That was the ship, it had to be, it was right on time. He took his bow and arrow from around his arm and began striking his flints on the arrow that he'd wrapped in a special cloth.

The ship began to creep steadily towards the peninsula, the guards at one of the towers began waving his flare to signal the ship it was clear, and the boat began turning around in the water as soon as it had space to do so, this was so that it could sail on without losing time later when it left.

After the ship was facing the cave it had just come out of, it stopped in the water, dropping anchor.

A ramp was ejected out of the side of the vessel and landed on the dock on the peninsula the towers were on.

Sokka saw all of this outside the warehouse window,

**"Okay!"** he said excitedly. **"It's time!"**

**"Finally…" **Smellerbee said, **"It's depressing having to sit her quietly with all this poor kids sleeping around you."**

Sokka quickly changed out of his Fire Nation costume and put it and the helmet behind some boxes. Then climbed inside one of the boxes with the lid already half open.  
He was licked once again by a long sticky tongue of the aardvark. Sokka grumbled **"If you give me away…."** He said wiping his face, **"I will strangle you with your own tongue!"**

The Fire Nation loading men opened the large werehouse doors and began loading the boxes onto the cart they had waiting for it outside. One of them peered in the eye hole of the box Toph was in, and saw her playing possum amongst the other kids.

He nodded to his cohort they loaded the decoy boxes with actual animals on last. He looked in the peak hole of the last box, and his eye got licked by an extrodinarily long tongue.

**"UGH!"** he cursed, **"Stupid creature…"** he said shaking his fist as the cart was towed to the docks by the rhino deer. Inside the box, Sokka gave the aardvark thumbs up trying not to snicker.

Up top, Longshot was aiming his now flaming arrow at a set of barrels to the side with the Fire Nation emblum on them. He'd seen some men put some of said barrels onto the raft with the boxes his friends were in to be sent to the ship. The depot would fuel ships coming into port for a fee, and right now, that fee would be the perfect distraction.

As soon as he saw the raft safely take the boxes to the boat, and load them into it, he shot his arrow at the barrels then slide down a drain pipe on the side of the building, he hit the ground just as the whole lot of them exploded shaking the ground.

Now his job was to wait for Katara to help sneak him under water to the ship while everyone was fussing over the recently made fire.

But where was she?...

Suddenly he saw something that made his eyes grow.

Sokka had heard the explosion, that was the signal to jump out and over take the ship, they could feel it was already in motion.

He lifted the crate lid up and off and climbed out, **"See ya Long tongue…."** He said to the aardvark inside.

He quickly began pushing boxes off of the ones Toph and Smellerbee were in, _**"Quite!"**_ Smellerbee hissed as one of the boxesfell to the floor with a thud.

Sokka helped her out, **"Don't worry, everyone's on deck wondering what the explosion is, let's go!"**

One of the kids inside began to stir, **"Mommy…" **she asked groggily. Sokka picked her up out of the crate.

**"We're going to take you back to your mother, but you have to stay in here…okay…."** Sokka said as affectionately and seriously as he could.

Toph was near the window of the ship. **"Uhhh guys…."** She asked. **"Should they be yelling….it's a trap?"**

Sokka peered out the window to see,…oh no…..about 15, maybe more... Fire Nation gliders, landing on the building os the depot on the opposite shore…..

Brago landed his glider on the roof of one of the buildings, after getting his feet he commanded **"Help the men douse the fire and find out what's going on…and don't allow that ship to leave…I ****have a feeling they may already be here…"**

Meanwhile inside the guard house, the two pay ups to the slavers were were arguing, between each other…

**"Great….now we have an actual patrol showing up out of the sky…." **The one of them who was a Docking Major said, his name was Feng. **"I dont like this...the soldier I'd left to burry the body of the attempted escape' hasn't returned. If this is an inquiry check up...especially with these interlopers ruining everything...they'll find our hands in this without a doubt. And theres no one here we can shift blame to because only we 4 know about the opperation..."**

The informant of the group sighed, **"What do we do?..."** he said looking up.

After a bit of silence the Major replied, **"Blow it up…"**

The informant and and the young cadet looked at their superior… **"Blow it up?"** they said gasping. The man strode over to the window, looking at the guard house next to them burn.  
**"We have to…or it's our heads…if they find out that our hands been in this…for as long as it has been…..we're finished…" **he said.

The dirty informant rubbed his chin looking out the window at the last of the Fire Nation patrol climbing down the roof of the building next to theme, **"Alright…."** The informant said, **"We'll say it was Earth Kingdom extremists….they'll buy that…"**

The younger one of the three didn't say a thing. **"Alright…"** their superior said. **"You take Riai here and get aboard that ship…."**

The man nodded and left the room, leaving the young guard inside still, **"Sir…"** he said.

**"That's an order…"** the superior said, **"Your just as guilty as us…..you think they'll go any easier on you?"**


	21. Chapter 21

**_A time for actions_**

Longshot had already dived into the water and was now paddling for dear life, shedding his armor as he went to lighten his load.

Jet meanwhile was trying to grasp what to do, he looked out the window and saw the boat still headed towards the caves opening, **"come on…come on…"** he thought.

Suddenly he saw someone on the opposite shore wave a flare at the peninsula towers. They started ringing bells to sound an alarm, no doubt to signal the men to seal the tunnel entrance.

_"No no no!"_ He thought out loud. Suddenly he saw a shape coming towards the peninsula in the water, he could make out it was a person…it was, oh god Longshot! There were soldiers coming out of the other watch towers to wait for him as he got closer to the shore. They were going to fire bend him!

Jet climbed out the window and brandished his hook swords, grappling onto the cord that lead across the water to the other shore.

He zip lined down it, seeing Long shot get closer and closer before his arms finally gave out, and saw the Fire Nation soldiers raising their fists. He unhooked his swords from the wire by jerking his hands and flipped downwards right onto the back of one of the soldiers breaking his fall for him.

Grunting from the pain but still cognizant for the sake of his friend, he hooked the other soldiers foot in his hook sword and swung his legs from underneath him. The other guards had now snapped out of their shock of this crazy haired boy falling from the sky on top of their friends and began to jerk their fists at him sending flames his way. He ducked and dodged them, grabbing a hand full of dirt in his hand as he rolled and threw it in the face of one of the soldiers he grasped his eyes in agony.

He hit him on the back of the head with his sword, knocking him out, if he weren't wearing his helmet, he would have opened his head with the force. The other bender growled and kicked a flame right at Jet, catching his shoulder, but Jet didn't stop moving as he spun around bringing the sword down on his wrist, by sheer luck with the blunt side. Still that blunt side made a definant cracking noise making the main wail and sink to his knees. Jet ended his spinning behind the man and kicked him into the water off of the dock. He put out his shoulder pad before it burned through it, and turned to the last soldier, apparently unable to bend with just his spear. Jet just narrowed his eyes, **"Don't make me kill you…"** he hissed.

* * *

Finally Zuko, Iroh, Katara reached where Daiken had said he found the cave-tunnel. **"Like I said…."** He said matter of factly.

Katara poked her head in the tunnel…it seemed like it went on without end, but she could hear a faint echoing.

**"I hear something…"** she said. Everyone else strained their hearing too. It sounded like a fight. **"Oh no I'm too late…." **She said to herself.

* * *

Brago watched as his benders and the benders of the outpost put out the now roaring fire from the buildings. Some guards were saving goods from the buildings. Others were busy taming the beasts that were inside the stalls, such as ostrich horses and water strider-newts.

He saw some men hurrying into a fire nation speed boat and walked over to them. The young corporal following the man he guessed was docking major, was looking…somewhat nervous….not in light of the goings on, it was as if there was guilt in his eyes.

**"You there!"** He called to them, he noticed the young man tipping his helmet over his eyes, the major however stood up at attention, **"Sir?"** he asked.

Brago stopped at the edge of the docks next to their boat, **"Lieutenant Marshell Brago, I'm here to conduct a search of this region for war crimminals. Whats the meaning of this?"** he asked looking around.

**"Major Feng..."** The Major replied then looked at the burning buildings, **"Earth Kingdom Sabatours…."** He replied, **"We're trying to snuff them out right now, we aren't allowing anyone to leave the complex…"**

Brago nodded,  
**"See to it that ship doesn't leave this station either…"** he said pointing to the cargo ship that was getting ever nearer to the cave-tunnel.

**"The orders have already been given….."** Major Feng said looking over his shoulder. Both of them could now see the men at the cave opening were closing the spiky gate, preventing anything from getting in or out.

**"Now if you'll excuse me…."** Feng said, **"I have to go inquire of the crew of that very ship."** He bowed to Brago who bowed back.

**"One more thing Major…"** Brago said.

Feng looked annoyed but turned round, **"Yes sir?"** he asked.

**"Is there something this young man would like to say….."** he asked, looking at the soldier in the boat with him.

Feng looked back at him,  
**"Ahh yes….this is the vigilant lad whose job it was to watch those fuel barrels…"** he said. **"He'll be held responsible but for not I need him."**

Brago nodded,  
**"As you were sir…"** and bowed again. Rather than bowing back, the man simply sat down in the boat and piloted the loud machine across the water towards the ship.

Brago glanced at the peninsula between them and the ship across the water. **"How would their actions of not been signaled unless…."** He turned to a passing soldier. **"Soldier…lend me your scope…."** He said seeing the telescope on his belt. The young man gave it up willingly and stood at attention. Brago peered through the spying glass, and saw a men, no two men, Fire Nation, laying motionless on the banks of the peninsula….he looked to the right and saw a man being helped out of the water by another young man with frizzy long…..hair…

_**"Him….."**_ Brago said lowly narrowing his eyes.

**"Sir?"** the cadet asked, but his looking scope was handed back to him, as Brago simply brushed past him in the direction of the stables towards the ostrich horses and lizards.

* * *

Meanwhile Jet was just finishing helping Longshot out of the water, and helping him cough up whatever had gotten in his lungs. **"Breath Longshot…"** he was saying. **"We can still do this…"**

Longshot shook his head while coughing and pointed behind them. Jet looked over his shoulder at what he feared…..the gates to the cave tunnel had been closed. They were trapped, and the ship Sokkka and Toph were on now with Smellerbee sat in the water motionless as crew members looked over the side wondering what was wrong. He saw a boat streaking right past the peninsula towards the ship. **"No…."** he said. **"I'm not letting everyone down this time…."** He growled getting up, with Longshot under his arm.

Suddenly Longshot tugged on his arm again pointed across the water. Jet peered in the direction he was pointing and saw someone approaching them on a water-strider lizard… **"Great…Longshot, take the raft behind the tower and get on board the ship, help them in any way you can….I'll hold them off..."** Jet said. Longshot nodded to him,

**"Are you strong enough?"** Longshot took a deep breath and nodded picking up the Fire Nation soldiers spear. Jet smiled, **"Good man, now go…!"** and patted his back hard as he ran past Jet.

Jet went out to the docks to meet this advosary coming towards him on the water walking lizard…..and recognized that face as it got closer.

**"YOU…."** He said gritting his teeth and brandished both his swords, as he saw his enemy, the one he remembered being named Brago…..the son of an even more ruthless general in the Fire Nation army. He had been behind many commandeering's of little villages in the Earth Kingdom, ones Jet had tried to liberate several times. He saw Brago reach to his belt while riding and pull out his own….double-bladed katana, and let the tip touch the water as he rode towards him.

Jet looked from left to right and saw a sword that had been dropped by one of the soldiers he'd taken down. He picked it up, aimed it and threw it with all his might at the beast as it nearly reached the shore.

The beast turned in mid stride and let itself sink in the water defensively to avoid being pierced by the flying weapon. But as it did, Brago, stood on its shoulders and flipped off the beast landing perfectly onto one of the posts of the docks that Jet now stood on. In the same motion he brought his weapon down on Jets two hook swords with a thunderous clang.

Meanwhile the trecherous Major Feng and the young guard in his command were boarding the ship from the back. Feng opened the secret side door used for emergency exits using fire bending to melt off the handle lock, then opened it carefully. No one was down here, prefect.

**"Hurry and help me with that barrel….."** he said hurriedly to the young man as he hesitantly put his hands about the fuel barrel.

On board Sokka and Smellerbee were busy on deck handling the rest of the crew members. Smellerbee was incredibly fast and was running through the at first, crowds of men with her knives blazing, slicing their calves and ankles and for-arms, making them yelp in pain before they could even raise their weapon in defense. Toph was bending the rocks that were sent her way back at the sailors with more force than they had used to send them at her, kicking them back like a soccer ball, or hitting them back with her fists.

**"Look out!"** Sokka called and hurled his Boomerang at a foe behind Smellerbee, who ducked as it clonked a man right in the solarplexes, making him cringe to the deck floor.

**"More are coming…."** Sokka said walking over to her side and picking his boomerang up, **"And we need that gate open…."**  
Smellerbee growled looking at the door that more men would be streaming from at any minute. Toph leaned over,  
**"I could do it but I need a way to get across the water and I can't leave you two here to fend off the whole ship…." **she said.

Finally the door opened and more men poured out, the three got in defensive stances, then advanced, Sokka threw his boomerang yet again, Toph kicked a rock from a previous fight into the head of another man. And Smellerbee ran head long into their midst, blocking their swipes at her and disarming them.

All of a sudden one of the sailors Sokka had taken down got up again, staggering, but purposed. He came up behind him holding his hammer in his hand.

Toph heard him and yelled, **"Sokka!"** Sokka turned around to see the great man glaring down at him, then with a -_thump_- he fell down, and his eyes rolled in the back of his head. Behind him was Longshot, twirling a spear in his hands like a bo-staff.

**"LONGSHOT!"** Smellerbee exclaimed mid fight. **"Longshot!" **Sokka said equally as happy, then turned serious, **"Have you seen Katara or Jet?"** Longshot shook his head and pointed to the gates.

**"Are they alright?"** Toph asked, kicking a remaining conciouse sailor in the face. Longshot paused then nodded.

Sokka looked at Longshot and Smellerbee,** "Can you steer this barge?"**

Smellerbee cocked her head, **"Pshhh in our sleep…." **

Longshot looked at her like she was crazy, then heard a crew member groaning next to him on floor of the deck and struck him on the head with the blunt end of his spear.

Sokka moved right on,  
**"Take the helm….fast…..Me and Toph are opening those gates…Toph, get on my back…"**

Toph looked wide eye'd at him, **"Wha-? Oh gosh really...we're going to dive off the shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-..." **she was hoisted onto Sokka's back and was now holding on for dear life as he bounded over the railing of the ship.

Meanwhile across the water on the peninsula Jet and Brago were still locked in fierce combat. _(again for reference at what Brago's blade looks like, google Kadaj's sword.)_

Brago's gaze was sharp as a flint and spun his blade fluidly through the air, making it sing before it clashed again against Jet's Hook swords. He could see the rogue Jet was getting annoyed at how he kept putting him in the position of having to use both his blades to block, instead of leaving him open to strike at him with the other sword. He just hoped Jet didn't realize he'd noticed his tell that he favored his left foot while fighting, he had to press this advantage, just cause he was annoying him didn't make him better.

**"Murderer…."** Jet said slicing at air that Brago's head would've been at…  
Brago came up after ducking swiping at Jet's feet, forcing him to cartwheel to the left. Anticipating this he brought his weapon down at where his back would be in 3….2… -_CLANG_-

Jet's hook sword made it there to block his strike just in time. Damn he was faster than even last time…not only that but now he was on his feet and had hooked his two swords onto each other and was swinging them like a sling, forcing Brago now to bend backwards and side step.

He twisted his wrist, chancing it, and was able to actually knock Jet's hook sword out of the air, making it land in the water, sticking straight up at least 12 yards from them with a splash. Jet was knocked back by the hit that went up to his shoulder, and held it as it throbbed. Brago followed up with a side kick, that Jet took with his side, making him stumble back into the water. Now they both stared at each other, Jet with one foot on the shore and the other in the water, Brago with the high ground… Jet could either make a break for the sword, or try something daredevil-ish he hadn't thought of right here and now….he was quite able to do either….doing either and succeed was the catch.

He studied the boy's eyes from behind his messed up hair….breathing in an out steadily as Jet on the other hand grunted in anger. _"Patience…."_ He remembered master Piando saying.

With a splash Jet sent his sword upwards in an attempt to splash water in Brago's face, it caught his face but not his eyes and was able to keep them on Jet. Still Jet used the momentary distraction to dart for his sword, and now had Brago running alongside him as he did. They both kept their eyes on each other as they ran so as not to leave an opening to be struck, Jet was letting his weapon skid the water, while Brago's scraped the dust of the shore. Jet was fast, he had less armor on, but Brago could still get between him and his weapon in time to deliver a blow that Jet couldn't deflect.

Suddenly Jet's arm jerked and just in time Brago skidded in his sprint to let a knife wiz by his chest…

Jets hands closed tightly around his hook sword and yanked it from the water standing at ready….damn….he was able to pull out a wild card.

Suddenly there was a rumble, and Jet grinned, **"Way to go Longshot…"** he said.

Toph was on the walk way of the walls on the outside of the cave opening where the gates were controlled. She heaved as hard as she could and the roof of the cave, along with the huge gate came loose and plunged into the water. Sokka stood over the groaning guards he had just finished taking down.  
**"WHOOHOO!"** Sokka shouted triumphantly. They could both hear childrens' cheers from the windows of the boat as it began moving again towards the now open cave tunnel.

Suddenly they heard a buzzing noise and looked down to see a speed boat taking off from the side of the ship and skid off towards the depot again.

**"Where are they going?"** Sokka asked. Something didn't feel right….

**"Were those children?..."** Brago asked,

Jet snarled, **"Like you care!"** he began circling Brago, who immitated him, sword held high.

**"You kill two Fire Nation soldiers...one of them by burying him alive….then attempt to kill more by blowing up a depot…you WILL tell me what those children's cheers I just heard were."** Brago said angrily.

Jet's hands tightened on his sword handles. **"I only did what your people have done to mine for years….."** Jet hissed.  
**"And that monster I buried alive had killed a poor little girl and was trying to cover it up….that hole was meant for her. And his friend is lucky that I didn't catch him too…."**

Brago glared, **"As if I should believe that…you're a terrorist…"**

Suddenly the sound of speed boat went off and they Jet actually turned is head for some reason as the Fire Nation boat jetted passed them, a lot more speedily for the lack of fuel barrels on board it.

**"That's him!"** Jet said angrily. He felt two sword tips on the back of his neck. He shut his eyes holding in his anger.

**"A flick of my wrist and you won't be thinking ANYTHING…..now…Your friends won't get far even if that gate is opened, I can easily patch through that your on the run and you'll be picked off like birds to one of my hawks..."** Brago said.  
**"Tell me where-…" **

He was interupted by Jet who cut in defiantly, **"WHY is that guy speeding off right now? THATS THE GUY WHO WAS THERE THAT NIGHT!.." **

Brago raised his arm a bit to press the sword tips closer, **"What guy...?"** He asked bitterly.

Jet still didn't drop his swords, but kept his eyes shut, **"That's the man….who was there…trying to burry that girl…." **he said in the gravest hate and seriousness.

Brago was about to scoff it off but thought….the guilty look….the fact that they were now SPEEDILY leaving the scene when they said they were going there to help secure the ship...? Why didn't anyone at the depot seem genuinely happy for he and his men's arrival, and why WERE there children's screams on the ship just now…?

**"I won't ask again…."** He said pressing his sword tips against his head again, bringing his elbow higher. **"WHY did I hear children's voices on that cargo ship….."**

Jet still kept his swords tight in his hands but opened his eyes, **"Ask your men….it's their slave ship…"**

The words hit Brago like a drum baton, **"Lie to me again….."** he warned.

Jet turned around so that the tips of the blade were near his eyes now,** "Do I look like I'm lying?..."** he spat. **"This place has been a sweet spot for Mountain ghost slavers for who knows how long….I doubt this is the first you've heard of it….."** Brago blinked without meaning to, this young man WASN'T lying.

Jet continued, unwavering despite the blades that were inches from his face, **"Those _"CHILDREN"_ on that ship…..me and my _terrorists_ group are liberating them….before they get shipped to who knows where so sorry about your damned warehouse being burned!"**

Brago digested it against his will. The men not being happy to see him arrive…..the guilty faces…..this place was a death trap….there was a slim chance of anyone carrying out a terrorist operation and escaping period…why would they choose this place just to send a message?…and he did just hear children cheering on that boat that was now almost half way in the tunnel…but wait, that Major Feng and his fidgety young underling…why were they so eager to get to the boa-…Oh no….please be wrong….please be wrong…please be wrong. Brago remembered the lack of fuel barrels on the boat that sped away. In any circumstance, they were supposed to bring back EMPTY barrels, not leave them there.

**"You swear on the life of your fallen comrades…those are slave children….and that was the man who you said did those things?"** Brago demanded.

Jet's eyes flared at the mention but nodded. Suddenly to Jet's surprise, the sword tips were whisked away from in front of his eyes, but kept up between him and Brago.

**"Get in that boat…."** He said motioning to one of the remaining boats by the peninsula docks, **"MOVE!"**

Jet walked to it, **"Why…."** Jet said.

**"Because…." **Brago said, **"If you're not lying….then there's every chance those kids on that ship are about to die...now move now!"**

* * *

The Fire Nation cruiser. Makeshift prison quarters made from west boiler room.

Aang hung his head as his arms and legs were suspended in air…once again, from strong chains near the ceiling and floors corners. This time there was a color around his neck, likened to a dog, keeping his head up more then was comfortable.

He breathed out a heavy sigh….well….that was that…..he was captured again….funny almost, he'd been in a setting just like this once before, now all he had to do was wait for an acrobatically skilled blue spirit to come and save him, broad swords drawn.

He chuckled sort of at the odds of it, then winced as he felt the pain from the burn marks of Princess Azula's last…inquiry visit. His cheek was charred, as were his clothes, from the waist up, she said she wanted him to have at least a taste of what was waiting for him later on the next morning. Morning, he didn't even know what time it was, there were no windows or doors save the one that faced him across the room. Two guards stationed on earth sides of the door, facing him, emotionless because of their skeletal helmet masks. It looked very bleak…..but then there was always that chance….she cou- No…no….it was stupid for him to guess that…..he had seen the turmoil in her eyes….perhaps there was a true element of bonding in her and her friends lives…...it was a different thing all together when your face to face with what your leaving behind. Not to mention were she to do ANYTHING to help him now...she'd be chained up along with him. But still...something maybe even see him? ...hadn't they been through enough?

Psssh... Listen to him...talking as if he'd known her for years...yet why did it pain him so much that she wasn't coming...not even to rescue him as much as...come to him...FOR him.

But right now his friends were in danger, he had to focus on that. Focus on what he would do to get free so that he could hopefully find them before Azula did…he didn't want any of his friends to face what was before him now…

* * *

Brago forced Jet to pilot the boat to the hull of the ship, still at sword point.

**"Why would Feng burry a child?..."** Brago asked. Jet glared ahead, not moving.

**"Your men were accepting off more kids to this port..."** he said gritting his teeth,

Brago looked up at the ship they were nearing, **"From who...?"** Brago asked still having his sword at Jet's neck.

Jet stopped the boat.  
**"Mountain Ghosts they called thimselves..."** he said. That definatly rang a bell in Brago's head, and Jet continued:  
**"One of the girls...tried running and I guess one of your guys didn't care to much for that...when we found them, him and another guy were digging a hole for her. He went off on an Ostrich horse leaving the other guy to stay behind and burry the _evidence_..." **

Brago wished what he was hearing could be past off as lies but he'd heard lies before...this man was telling the truth...

**"Where is the man now..."** Brago asked. Jet put his hand on the metal of the ladder on the side of the ship. **"Where do you think?"** he said looking back at him.

Sokka saw this from the ship's port bow.

**"They got Jet!"** he called. **"I don't see Katara though!" **he said frantically.

Smellerbee brandished her weapons again, **"Why I oughta….." **she began.

**"Wait they're coming aboard…" **Sokka interrupted… **"Jet doesn't seem mad though….just worried."** Longshot looked at his leader coming up the side of the ship with the Fire Nation general or whoever behind him. He glanced at Sokka, who turned back to Longshot and then said, **"I know right?"**

**

* * *

**Meanwhile on the opposite shore, Major Feng and his underling were looking through a spyglass at the ship as it slowly disappeared into cave, **"That Leautenant Marshell went on the ship with a hostage…."** He said. **"If he finds anything, he'll take the secret with him to the bottom of the water before they reach the other side of that tunnel…."**

The Fire Nation Cadet shut his eyes and suddenly yelled, **"NO!"** then suddenly began calling: **"SOMEONE HELP WE HAVE TO STOP THAT SHIP!"** He was grabbed by the Major and punched out. Feng raised his hand to punch him again, only this time with his fist flaming. But before he could deliver the final blow, soldiers had gathered to the source of the screaming.

**"….this man is in league with the terrorists…."** Major Feng said, **"Don't believe a word he says…."**


	22. Chapter 22

Avatar's with butterfly wings

Ty Lee sat in her room, hugging her knee's to her chest, and shut her eyes, feeling exhausted from the stress she was going through internally.

_"Even if I wanted to help…there's no way to get him out of here…."_

She thought to herself. And what could she do?...This was a ship run by Azula, and was a make shift prison transport now….she'd be back soon with Brago with probably the rest of Aang's friends….and all because of her…..her and her friends who still belittled her, it only being a second after she returned to them from the grave….she was still the one they could pick on….make feel smaller then she already was…

And here Aang thought she was this….strong…brave person….someone who could even face her fears of lightning and Azula…. Its best to forget about it she heard a voice in her head say, you're a terrible flirt….you know it's right….how could he not chase your skirt off the mountain and down…..what's there about you to take seriously?

She shook her head, that wasn't her thoughts…well they were, but they had been her thoughts breed and trained by Azula to think that way. But she'd heard another side of the story…what if she was strong enough….she she always imagined what Azula would say a lot of the time to graft her decisions…but if she listened to what Aang would say…

_"Ty Lee…do you really think I would do what I did because I thought you were shallow? Do you really think that of me…I bent lightning….what you thought could never be beaten….you can beat it too…"_

She looked up from her arms, crossed in front of her face on her knee's to see Aang dressed in his Avatar robes like the ones she'd seen in story books, with...butterfly wings? He was extending a hand to her. She smiled, but before taking it, suddenly the other voice interrupted from around her…

_"Well he's the Avatar of course he can bend lightning, he's powerful, he can do anything, including take a passing fancy in you…."_

Aang's voice prevailed like a light through the clouds,

"I wouldn't have risked my life and freedom for a passing fancy….your more than that…and even more than that to me…."

**"Pah!"** Came Ty Lee's own voice, she looked to the right to see herself in Azula's armor and her hair done just like Azula's.

**"You really believe that?"** She asked cocking her head to one side snidely, putting a hand on her hip.

**"Yes…"** Ty Lee replied back not caring if this was a dream or not...

The other-her looked at her, _**"What?"**_ she asked angrily.

**"Yes I do!"** Ty Lee said looking up at the Other-her with a hint of anger herself.

**"He tells the truth, I see it in his eyes! All Azula's ever done is lie lie lie to me! And you, you lie just like her, cause you think that'll make you stronger…."** She said standing up.

Suddenly she was slapped by her other self and thrown down,

**"That's because you _ARE_ weak…."** The Other-her said smirking like how Azula smirked.

**"It wasn't me who shied away from saving Aang back there….it was you…."**

Suddenly as if by magic, she was stuck in the rock formation cave she'd found the rabbit squirrel in on the mountain. **"You are weak, and still are…and the sooner you wise up to that….the sooner we can get through this and you can go back to do what you at least know your good for…."** Her evil self said, making lightning appear in her fingers the same way Azula did.

Ty Looked over her shoulder and squealed, struggling to get free again in vain, only this time instead of a goat-hog, it was lightning, with her rear right there to be zapped. She squeezed her eyes shut braced for the impact of the lightning but suddenly felt a hand touch her face. She looked up to see Aang as he walked around her.

**"Sure SHE might have driven you back Ty Lee….."** he said, **"SHE might have made you afraid to speak up for me…."** He said.

**"But it was you who decided to pony up and find me….it was you who found a way to rescue me….."**

The Azula/her yelled,  
_**"That's enough!"**_ and jetted a bolt of lightning at her... Aang blocked it with his hand as if he were swatting a fly, his robes blowing in the wind.

**"Get up…"** Aang said, **"Out of that rock formation…your strong enough…"**

The Other-her hissed, **"The hell you are….."**

Ty Lee shut her eyes, and slowly rose up out of the rock formation and it fell off of her like crumbs of bread.

Suddenly the Evil-her did her own pistol poke technique to make Aang go numb and on the ground.

**"Aang!"** She called out. Then was suddenly kicked in the stomach knocking the wind out of her making her go back by the Evil-her.

**"Face it…"** She hissed at Ty, **"I'm the real you….I'm the you that gets things done…that defeats benders without bending, that brings the Avatar in like we should have done….that decided to run away from home…..that hired ourselves out to the Fire Nation so we could be precious to SOMEBODY….you would have just waited in your corner of your insignificant, identical room, and cried. And you are now.. throwing that all away for what? Him….an enemy!"**

Ty Lee shook her head,

**"HE LOVES ME! FOR ME.."** She screamed at her evil self, who didn't move an inch, _**"He's...a no good..."**_ she started.

Ty Lee stopped her ears with her hands, this was what she had always repeated to herself about the Avatar before she went out to help capture him. **"Stop it..."** she said.

_**"Undermining..."**_ her evil-self continued. Ty Lee pressed her ears tigher, **"STOP IT!"**

But her twin continued, using Ty Lee's voice, _**"What would you want with a trouble making, Zealot, Anti-Fire natio- "**_

Ty Lee cut her evil-self off,

**"I LOVE HIM!"** she shrieked before she could even hear herself.

But rather then be shocked along with her, the other her laughed, but it wasn't her laugh it was Azula's. **_"Big surprise…."_** Came Mai's voice from the evil-her's mouth _**"I always knew there was no way you'd land a normal guy…circus freak…"**_

Ty Lee's breath was heavy, and echoed in her own ears as she still recoiled from the kick,

_**"Even if you could summon enough courage….."**_ the other-her said in Ty Lee's own voice again, **_"There's no way you could stop what's happening…_**  
**_The Avatar's been captured and his friends are next, you're in a prison, in the SKY…..we're winning…so get on our side….before your left all alone again…."_**

Ty Lee looked at Aang laying there on the ground, but now his old fashioned avatar robes made more sense because now he resembled the paintings of dead monks on the floors of the ravaged temples…

**"I have been alone….."** Ty Lee said getting up, **"Listening to you….to them…..never being me….I feel more alone with you then I've ever been…"**

The Other-her turned around slowly and angrily, the same way that Azula did with her hair strands dangling right before her eyes, only this time it was her evil self's eyes they covered half of.

**"YOU'RE the weak one…."** Ty Lee said…. **"You're the one who's so scared to be who they really are that your making yourself up as you go along, with pieces of Mai and Azula because you'd rather be mistreated then cast out!"**

Suddenly the Nightmare-her broke into tears, _**"Stop it!"**_ she cried,

**"She is stopping…."** Said Aang suddenly, who was once again floating behind the two of them, butterfly wings flapping.

**"That's why you can no longer hold her back…."** He finished.

The Evil-her glared back at Aang, _**"This is all your fault…..!"**_ she yelled, **_"You're going to ruin everything for us both!"_**

She raised her two fingers to strike him again, but they were pulled back by Ty Lee in an iron grip that made the evil-her cringe,

**"No….just you…."** Ty Lee said. **"And I'm not letting you…or Azula..ruin things for ME…anymore….….."** she said turning back to Aang who wrapped her in his pretty wings up close to him...

_SUDDENLY TY LEE'S EYES JOLTED OPEN!_

**"AANG!"** She said, into the emptiness of her quarters on board the Fire Nation ship….she suddenly realized what a dream she had had and took several deep breaths.

**"That _was_ a dream….."** she said to herself….., suddenly her eyes narrowed, **"Well…as Azula would say….lets promote that dream up to the rank of reality…."**


	23. Chapter 23

Exertion

Ty Lee walked back from the inventory room on the blimp she was on, smiling coyly. She saw one of hallways leading to the prisoners room. She wiped some of the soot from the furnace room she'd been in off of her hands, then went around the corner to where she knew Aang would be kept.

Before her was the door to Aang's holding cell, on either side of the door were two Fire Nation guards, ones looking to be 18 to 23-ish age wise.

**"Excuse me…"** she said sweetly, **"Um I wanted to thank you for being so nice about me coming back alive…"**

The young guard looked at her, **"Wha-I didn'-"**

Ty Lee interrupted him, **"Oh really…..it was so sweet of you…!"** she said putting her hands on his chest plate. His eyes were growing big…hopefully that was a start.

**"It meant a lot…"** she continued, **"I mean… not a lot of guys on this ship congratulated me or anything….."** she said.

The man just stared perplexed at her, but she could see a bewildered smile on his face she was sure even he didn't notice.

She went on, **"But I knew I was welcome when you came up to me in that cute little helmet of yours….you couldn't fool me….I knew it was you, and you hugged me and congratulated me and asked me if I was alright…."**

She took an unnecessarily heavy sigh reminiscing, if anything making her chest heave a little, and predictably he noticed it intently. **"I felt so appreciated…"** she sighed again opening her eyes.

**"W…well…"** the guard said, looking over at his friend who gave him a look that said {_Are you crazy? Go with this!_}

**"Of…course…."** He said grinning finally getting the position he was in, or THOUGHT he was in.

She grinned a warm grin, giggling, **"Um…I was wondering…."** She said narrowing her eyes,  
**"Can I see that jerk face real quick?"** she asked.

The man blinked, **"Yes…."** He shook his head from the stupid look he had on his face, **"I'm sorry, um which jerk face?..."** he asked truly confused now.

She looked at the door behind him, **"The Avatar…."** She said with contempt…. **"I had to do a lot to make him try to help me off the mountain and he took advantage of my emotions….he thought I was easy….."**

The guard looked at her with a sympathy act even SHE knew was fake. **"Awww"** he said, **"Your right…he's a pig…a no good-"**

She interrupted him, **"So can I see him?"** she said smiling again brightly. **"Azula's already had her fun….I just want to tell him what I REALLY think of him now that he can't hurt me…"**

The guard looked at the other guard opposite him who had been keeping silent this whole time who shrugged at him.

"**He can still be dangerous…."** He said, Ty Lee looked purposefully shocked, **"Your right…"** she said sounding believably air headed, well more so than usual, and followed up with: **"You guys'll make sure he doesn't right? But I need this off my chest…."** She said heaving another unneeded sigh….which made their eyes go up and down.

"**Uuuuh YES!"** they said at once… **"Of course we will…."**

They unlocked the doors for her and stepped in after her, the guard she had been talking to put his hand out to keep the other one from following them in, **"Hey…."** He said, **"She asked me, you need to watch the door…"**

The other guard growled.

Ty Lee walked in, regarding the other two guards in the room, **"Does she have permission to be in here?"** one of the masked soldiers already inside asked.

The Fire Nation guard she'd been flirting with put his hand up, **"Sure sure….she just needs to uh get some things across to the Avatar….he used her, she needs to tell him what's what…"** he said overly loud to sound like he was virtuously in her corner. She rolled her eyes before turning around to smile cheekily at them both.

She turned her attention Aang in the middle of the big metal read room….used for an extra boiler, now used to keep the avatar in place rather than a furnace. She nearly gasped all her breath away looking at him, beat up, bruised, she didn't want to cry but one escaped her face. With all her might she kept from sniffing, and wiped her eyes to the best of her ability to look like wiping sweat.

Aang looked up at her **"Ty Lee!"** he said surprised, **"What are yo-"**

She gave him a _"ZIP IT!"_ look with her eyes, then changed them to attitude filled coldness and walked up to him, hand on her hip as she walked.

"**Uhh Ty…?"** he said nervously

She was murmuring something he thought, because her lips moved but said nothing, all of a sudden she smacked him, not hard but enough to look like she had, she hadn't seen years of clowns doing impersonations of fights for nothing.

"**THAT'S for touching my butt mister!"** She said sternly. Aang looked back at her with the most bewildered, terrified, and upset look on her face.

**"I told you that was an acceden-"**

-_SLAP_-

She could hear the guards snickering behind her with "ooooooh's" and chuckles.

"**And that's for playing with my heart…."** She said. **"Read. My. lips. I'm not done with you…."**

Suddenly Aang read her lips, realizing she wasn't mumbling between sentences….she was mouthing something to him:

_"You said fire needs air to breath, like us remember?_

_Well…do something about that for these guys"_

**"And this!"** she said slapping him again, this time he said "OW!" playing along.

**"Is for….trying to kiss me …."** She couldn't think of anything else..."**OF ALL THE NERVE!"** she said instead, glaring. She heard a few "Oooh's and muffled talking behind her, and realized what it had sounded like she had said he'd done. She blushed a little.

_"I saved your glider thing from being burnt.…..What you'll do is this…..."_

When she was done getting her message out to Aang silently, she ended by mouthing the words,

"_Act like a jerky boyfriend…..a creep."_

Aang blinked then narrowed his eyes,

"**OH, UH….."** he said deepening his voice a bit, **"Yeah well….who needs you anyway….so um….get out of here ya, ya no….good….woman….!"**

She looked at him thinking _"Wow….he really doesn't know how to be like a regular guy…..how sweet."_ then frowned herself.

**"UGH!"** she said sounding insulted, **"Well who's free to do what she wants and who's in HERE?"** she said smugly. **"HA!"**

She did a backwards flip, instead of backing up towards the door.

**"Oh Yeah? well…you're…..jumpy!"** Aang said crossly. She gave Aang a look that said, _"okay knock it off before you ruin it"_, and he did.

She turned about proudly and marched past the guards who shut the door after before resuming their positions on either side of the door.

On the other side, she turned to the other two guards, **"OH thank you so much!"** she said smiling to them **"I feel so much lighter…."**

**"Sometimes it's good to take deep breaths…"** the first guard said before he was elbowed. Ty Lee did her best NOT to cringe at the patheticness of that ploy. Still she thought she'd toy with them.

**"Well I'm feeling tired, I think I'll go stretch or something…."** she turned around,

And immediately began walking away down the hall, moving her hips from one side to the other purposefully. As she turned a corner, was just able to see both guards pretend like they hadn't been staring.

**"Men….."** she said to herself. Now for phase 2 of the plan….

* * *

Meanwhile in the bowels of the disguised slave ship:

**"So tell me again why we aren't cutting his guy's head off?"** Smellerbee asked.

**"Because…."** Jet said snarling, **"He thinks some of his men may have put a bomb on this ship to blow up the evidence….."**

Brago turned to him, **"They are NOT my men…."** He glared.

Jet sneered **"Only when they're doing what can get you I trouble they're not …."**

Brago ignored the comment.

**"Now come on it would have to be on the lower level, search there…."** he said.

Toph spoke up, **"Wait!"**

**"There's no time!"** Brago said, turning around expecting to see someone his height then looked down to see Toph.

**"Why are you helping us?"** she asked folding her arms.

Brago looked at all of them honesty, **"In my eyes you're all still war criminals…..but I didn't become a Lieutenant Marshall to be a party to the deaths of children like this…"**

Toph unfolded her arms, **"he's telling the truth…."** She said.

**"BIG WHOOP!"** Smellerbee said **"He's still going to arrest us as soon as we- "**

Sokka spoke up clearing his throat overly long, **"AH-EH, A-HEEEM! Excuse me people, this is very fascinating…but…..BOOOOMB?"** he said pointing animatedly to the doorway leading down.

Him and everyone else went pouring into the bottom hold of the ship, on the way there, Jet said, **"Check all the lower level compartments, cargo room, boiler….anything that can hide a fuel barrel!"**

Brago passed by a room with an open door, he thought he saw a light, like a twinkling. He stepped back to look in and saw a pair of eyes looking at him from inside the dark room. He stepped closer and he could hear a little girls gasp and whimper as the eyes disappeared into the blackness.

He cracked the door more stepping forwards and saw as the light snaked across the room from the opening door, a whole side of the room, filled shoulder to shoulder with little, raggedy dressed children, no older then perhaps 6 or 7. He just stared at them for a while, they recoiled back further into the darkness, hugging each other while a few, mostly boys stood in front of the little kids and girls.

**"I'm…not the bad guy…"** Brago said putting up his hand, **"I'm …"** he was cut off by a voice from down stairs.

**"HEY I THINK THIS IS IT!"** it was Toph, the blind girls voice, it would be ironic if _SHE _found it.

He looked back at the kids and then quietly backed out of the room altogether, unsure if he should close the door again or not.

What was he doing? Aiding and embedding CAPTIAL felons of the crown….? Aiding and embedding them saving kids' lives…..but….agh this day had taken SUCH a turn.

He arrived downstairs where the machines of the boat where and saw a barrel next to the engine, with a long string sticking out of it, with a tip that was sizzling from being put out recently.

**"There'd of been no escape for anyone…"** Brago said…. **"This whole vessel runs on a flammable gas and on steam and if this went off… in this tunnel, those of you who didn't die in the blast would die from the cave in….."**

Sokka put his hands in his pockets, **"So if it wasn't your men…..whose were they?"**

Brago just stared at the now dormant barrel, **"I don't know…."** He said quietly.

**"What?"** Smellerbee said with attitude. Brago turned growling, **"I SAID I DON'T KNO- "…..**

Suddenly, with the sound of a -THUNK- he passed out, and behind him was standing Jet holding a club from the weapons inventory.

**"Jet!"** Sokka said.

Jet looked down at Brago, who's head was bleeding... **"He'll turn us in the moment we reach land….make a big name for himself amongst his FIRE NATION friends…"**

Sokka looked at him on the ground, **"He risked a whole lot just to come on here and warn us….."**

**"To save his own hide probably…"** Smellerbee put in.

Jet looked down at him tapping his club against his leg, **"How do we know he didn't organize this in the first place…"**

Toph put her foot down making the floor creak **"BECAUSE!"** she said huffily.

**"I heard his voice…I heard his heart beat…..he was concerned for those kids….there was a conflict in his voice when he talked about helping us…it wasn't easy for him."**

Jet raised his club a bit, **"Fire Nation don't have hearts…."**

**"Jet…."** Sokka said, Jet ignored and lifted it higher.

**"All they have…"** He went on, **"Are Machines….destruction…..and- " **He swung his arm tremendously hard downward on Brago's head...stopped an inch short from hitting it.

It was Longshots, holding is forearm, shaking his head at him.

Jet had what anyone in the room could only describe as an argument of the eyes as Jet stared at Longshot, his eyes twitching every so often in expression, while Longshots stayed the same, not even blinking, he was wanting Jet to look behind him.

Suddenly they heard **"Are all the bad men gon- **_**GASP-!**_**"** everyone turned to see a little girl, probably 5, holding onto the edge of the door way with a hand over her mouth. She had snuck out of the holding room after Brago.

Finally Jet dropped the club, at the sound of it Brago groaned, but still didn't move.

**"Get him off the ship….."**Jet sneered. **"Before I change my mind…"** and sulked off to a corner of the room.

Longshot and Smellerbee went over to pick him up then Sokka said, **"Wait….before you do anything….where is my sister…."** He said.

Jet didn't' say a word or turn around.

**"Jet….Where is KATARA…"** Sokka said with more seriousness Toph had heard in his voice she thought…ever…

**"I…"** Jet started. He was turned around and grabbed by the scruff of his tunic collar.

**"NO DON'T STAMMER LIKE THAT, SHE WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY AND I TRUSTED HER WITH YOU, WHERE IS SHE!"**

Jet didn't resist being shaken. Smellerbee walked up but Longshot stayed in her way.

**"I Don't know…"** Jet said honestly…and not without pain.

**"What do you MEAN….you don't KNOW?"** Toph said angrily,** "You have two working eyes, you could SEE where she was….!"**

Jet looked down at Toph, **"The box's got mixed up…"** he said, **"I must have told her to get into the wrong one…I don't know what ship has her now….."**

Sokka put his hands in his hair… **"AND YOU KNEW THIS THE WHOLE TIME?"** he yelled.

Suddenly they heard sniffling from the little girl from before, and Toph walked over to her, **"It's okay….."** she said, **"Let's get you back with the others…."**

Sokka glared at Jet who with difficultly looked him in the eye, **"Your deal? To help us find Aang…..?"** Sokka said. **"You don't rest…..you don't stop, until you've helped us track the sea for my sister too…"**

**"Of course…."** Jet said, Sokka looked as if he were going to punch him but stopped, **"Katara….."** he said to himself choking up and looking away.

**"I screwed up…."** Jet said, **"I didn't want to tell you so we could go ahead with the mission….save these kids…like she would've wanted...but I swear to you…..I'll help you find your sister if it kills me…."**

**"Clera…..?"** they heard Brago groan from the floor before rolling over.

**"Let's get this guy off the ship…."** Sokka said emotionlessly.

It was dark in the tunnel, it wasn't until that time that everyone bellow had realized that no one was steering the ship. Just in time to for they were now coming to bends and turns in the cave as it began to wind.

Longshot, having the best vision in the dark steered the ship as best he could, and the rest had found out how to operate the lanterns on the front of the ship so they could have a better chance at seeing where they were going. Now Sokka and Jet were carrying Brago, as he slowly came too, to the life boat on deck, they could see that they were coming to the end of the tunnel. They could see light, but it wasn't as bright as they'd figured it would be….in fact it seemed to be moving. They put Brago and his sword in the life boat and lowered it carfully down behind them to drift on its own, either up or down the cannel.

**"What the heck?"** Sokka said without meaning for his voice to echo.

**"S-sokka?"** came a voice in the tunnel, also echoing.

**"Katara?" **Both Jet and Sokka said together.

**"SOKKA!"** they heard Katara's voice resound.

Sokka ran to the edge of the nose of the ship, he could see the lights approaching were in fact fires lit by three men that looked like they were holding torches. They were following after…a silhouette he'd know anywhere.

**"KATARA!"** he said with Joy, **"How'd you get back? Oh Gosh….wait…"**

Jet spoke what Sokka was thinking; **"How are you **_**walking**_** towards us?"**

**"I'm freezing the water as I go."** Katara said, right before the boat jerked and lerched from hitting the for mentioned ice, making Sokka and Jet nearly topple over the side of the railing.

**"Sorry..."** Katara said.

* * *

Aang chewed on what was happening, finally it donned on him….she was…actually helping him get away…? YES! THAT MEANT THAT-…..OH YES!" His heart was soaring inside his chest as if that alone could break the chains on him from how good it felt.

Okay-okay…. Think…think...people need air….like fire does to breath…oh he knew what that meant.

In fact he had thought about doing just that earlier, but saw no point in doing so if he would still be chained up during the aftermath.

He shut his eyes, and breathed in…very very deeply.

Meanwhile outside the prison room, one of the guards who was still fantasizing about Ty Lee breathing and walking, heard noise of a struggle then slumping over of two persons inside.

He and his fellow guardsmen opened the door and rushed in, the door slammed behind them tightly.

**"WHA?"** The guard said, he saw the other guards on the floor passed out,….why was the air so thin, he looked to the Avatar to see him still chained there, but now he felt…light headed, he almost thought he heard a noise like a balloon loosing air slowly, and it nearly looked like the Avatar was turning blue in the face.

**"Wong-Su you okay….?"** He looked over at his partner who was pointing at him, gasping for air a little.

The guard looked at the Avatar again and saw hat his nose was flaring extraordinarily…..he was sucking the oxygen out of the room….

The two immediately bent fire his way but it only bent so far because of the lack of air, not to mention their shortness of breath.

Finally Aang stopped the noise that sounded like a whining hole in a balloon, and opened his mouth wide as if he was taking a deep breath.

Suddenly a gust of wind, chased by a thunderous VOOSH went out from Aang like someone had slammed a sledge hammer in water sending ripples everywhere. The gust of air knocked both the guards off their feet and into the metal of the walls, denting them from the reverse compression.

Aang looked at the wall that had bulged, and saw that the chain that was suspending his arm from it was attached to the same wall.

Using earth bending strength, he tugged a hard as he could to wrench the rest of the chain out the wall.

Meanwhile Ty Lee had successfully gotten the keys away from another guard…pretty much the same way she'd gotten in to see Aang, and was now making her way back to his cell as fast a she could.

She nearly bumped into him as he opened the door to his cell holding his wrists.

**"TY L-MMMF!"**

**"AANG-FFF!"**

They both exclaimed and covered each other's mouths before letting the exclamations escape.

Suddenly they both hugged each other tightly,** "I'm so sorry…"** Ty Lee said, **"I didn't betray you Aang…..you have to believe me, I didn't know they'd come to that gypsy caravan….."**

Aang shushed her,** "Of course I believe you…" **he said, smiling proudly at her, seeing that genuine…heart curing smile just made her feel all bouncy inside again.

**"Wait!" **she said,** "How'd you get out your chains….?"** She asked, holding the keys she'd gotten in vain up.

Aang smiled at her, **"I understood your secret code."** Aang said proudly,** "I sucked all the air out of the room around myself in a bubble then lit it disperse really hard and blasted the walls so- "**

Ty Lee just stared at him, **"I meant for you to keep their fire bending from working so that I could get unlock your cuffs without getting singed….."** she said.

**"Oh…."** Aang said. **"Well…it worked…"**

They heard scampering upstairs and they both shook their heads, **"Come on let's go!"**

After shutting the door to the prison cell room tight, Ty Lee and Aang made their way as fast, and stealthily as they could down the halls of the great ship. Aang was glad in the long run that he didn't have to remember the directions Ty Lee had mouthed him earlier, he was so over joyed frankly at her simply siding with him, he'd forgotten them.

They arrived in the inventory room.

"**Here's your glider…"** Ty Lee said proudly, going behind one of the boxes of things, **"It's a little beaten up but…I was able to save it from getting too….well…"** she finished a little less proudly.

Aang looked behind them to see that no one was coming through the door, **"What?"** he asked.

She produced his glider, its wings were singed bit, and the wood frail from being so near the fire.

**"There's no way that'll carry two people now…"** Aang said looking at it. Ty Lee looked at Aang.

**"Maybe we can use one of your gliders in here..."** Aang suggested.

Ty Lee shook her head, **"Azula took the last of them with her landing party to look for your friends..."** she said, looking at him in the eyes.

**"No…"** Aang said suddenly reading her face. **"NO! I'm NOT leaving you here…!"**

Ty Lee shook her head, **"This is better, no one even knows that I helped you, they won't get me in trouble, they wouldn't think of me to try something like this...but you...they'll hurt you."**

Aang put his hands on her cheeks, **"I can't leave you again!"**

Ty Lee's lip quivered, **"But…."** She said.

Suddnely they heard a further noise outside the room.

**"THE AVATAR'S ESCAPED!"** the cry went out. Ty Lee grabbed Aang's hand, **"COME ON!"** she said and hurried him out of the room.

**"Where are we going?"** Aang asked.

**"Just follow Me..."** Ty Lee insisted making sure no one was coming down their hall. She opened a door that he guessed was to the furnace because of the orange glow coming from the door window. Suddenly there was the sound of a thump, and someone hitting the floor. She stuck her head out, **"Come on!"** she said. **"He didn't see me coming from behind lets go!"**

* * *

Miles below them, and away:

Outside the cave, on the beach, everyone was going their separate ways.

Iroh was saying goodbye to everyone while Daiken said nothing, and Zuko waited impatiently for his uncle to finish so they could leave.

**"Are you sure you can get these children to a town safely?"** Iroh asked.

Katara nodded, **"We have to try…"**

**"I'll help with that…."** Daiken said suddenly, **"I made a pact to return one of these kids home….so that's what I'll do…"**

Iroh nodded, **"It is an honor to have worked with you Young master Daiken…."** he said bowing.

Daiken did the Earth Kingdom salute with his fists and bowed in turn.

**"Who's that guy with the cool voice again…?"** Toph asked Katara, **"Sand bender…."** Katara replied back, **"Daiken."**

Sokka grinned and extended his hand **"Nice to meet ya!"** Daiken just looked at the hand. **"Thanks…."** Sokka finally said, **"For helping my sister out…."** Diaken smiled at the hand at last and shook it softly and quickly. **"No trouble…"** he said.

**"Ahem, I'm Toph…."** Toph said extending her own hand, Daiken looked down at it, **"That's nice…."** Daiken said, and shook it anyway, then walked off to the children to locate the boy he was commissioned to return. **"Nice hand shake…"** Toph said to herself…

**"So you won't be using this boat to transport the children back to their homes?"** Iroh asked looking at the large vessel.

**"Its a ship Uncle..."** Zuko murmured, arms folded and looking at the sea.

Sokka shook his head, **"No…we talked it over and we decided on letting Jet and his team take the larger ship towards more international waters, abandon it there in life boats, and double back so that the Fire Nation goes on a wild goes chase for it with nobody on it."**

Iroh nodded, **"Hmmm…seems very smart…."**

Katara spoke up next, **"Yeah, then we'll take the kids in the boat that me and your nephew Zuko came in on, and use that to drop the children off at one of the sea side towns with someone who will find out who they belong too…."**

Iroh nodded,  
**"Sounds like an excellent plan…I wish you all the best of luck…..but me and my nephew must keep moving as well if we are to have any measure of freedom ourselves…."**

Katara nodded, **"I understand…."** Then looking back at the ship looming over them again , she whispered in his ear, **"But seriously though….do NOT let those guys ever catch on that your Fire Nation…."**

**"Why would that matter?"** Zuko asked .

Katara gave a look to Zuko firstly for being able to hear her; **"Trust me…."** She said, **"It's save you a lot of grief you keep that in mind till you're out of sight of the boat."**

A voice from above them called down, **"Keep what in mind?"** it was Jet looking over the railing of the nose of the ship.

**"To always think on your feet…."** Iroh called up to him, Jet huffed, **"Yeah well….you'd best be doing that way long after this if you expect to survive…"** and went back out of sight.

Iroh winked at Katara who smiled and said:

**"It really was very nice meeting you….well, I mean this way…."**

She turned and looked at Zuko who looked out over the water of the shore.

**"Both of you…."** She said. Zuko didn't turn his head.

Sokka put his hands on Katara's shoulders, **"Okay sis…I think this has been enough good will towards enemies for one day…"**

Katara sighed and followed her brother back to the kids. **"Thank you….."** Zuko said, **"For helping me find my uncle….."** he finished, finally turning to her, she looked at him and smiled a bit.

**"Where will you go?"** Toph asked Iroh. The old man shrugged, **"Haven't decided yet, but we've as much reason to be pursued as you…with us all going in different direction, we can hope that the Fire Nation's forces will be stretched too thin to follow you and the children…"**

He turned to Zuko,

**"Well my dear nephew…." **Iroh said,** "...it would seem that our journey is yet again, beginning…."**

**"Good bye…."** Sokka said, **"And…thank you."**

The little kids said bye to Iroh who waved back at them merrily. Zuko and Iroh made their way down the rocky beach towards the cliffs.

Smellerbee's voice came from the top of the ship, **"Hey, miss water wings, wanna give us a hand? We're sort of stuck on the beach…"**

Katara and Daiken nodded to each other and began using the sand and water beneath the boat to help it pick up speed all the way out off of the beach till it was chugging to life on its own. Jet looked over the railing of the ship at Katara. Smellerbee walked over to him, **"Hey it's her loss, you'd of helped them find that Avatar like that."** She said snapping her fingers.

Jet huffed, **"No I'm not so sure about that….."** he said smiling a little, **"Them letting me off the hook of finding him for them was their way of saying I've done enough…..maybe I have…maybe after we've ditched this boat…we really CAN create a new life for ourselves….I just wish..."**

he looked out over the side of the ship at Katara as her hair blew in the wind. **"Sigh...nevermind..."**

He then looked over at Zuko and Iroh walking up the rocks towards the cliffs, **"Those two the ones with torches in the cave, I like them….."**

Smellerbee cocked an eye brow, **"Cause he's got a scar on his face from the Fire Nation?"**

Jet looked on, **"Well he didn't get it from a water bender...maybe someday we'll meet up with them…"**

**"I liked that Daiken guy…."** Smellerbee said, Longshot shook his head, **"What?..."** Smellerbee demanded.

Now it was just Katara and Sokka and Toph and Daiken and Momo, **"Well…"** Sokka said putting his hands on his knee's with a wide eyed look, **"Who's ready to go find their parents?"**

All the children cheeped with joy like little baby birds, and Katara smiled a little and looked out at the ship leaving into the distance, she felt Sokka's hand on her shoulder.

**"Dad'll be back sis…."** Sokka reassured her, **"He promised he would..."**

She nodded, then looked at the sky as gulls flew over.

**"Aang too…." **Sokka said.

The Fire Nation troopers at the now settled down docking depot outpost, and were towing in Brago in his boat which inconveniently had no oars.

One of his own cadets came up to him and helped him up. **"Sir!"** he said. **"Are you alright?"**

Brago rubbed his head, from which the blood had finally dried. Suddenly as his vision adjusted, his face was stern again, **"Where is Docking Major Feng…."** he said infuriated.

* * *

Ty Lee took Aang from inside the boiler room, behind the furnace, and up a ladder into a vent of the Fire Nation air ship. Pulling his glider up with them, she closed the hatch after them and they began crawling through it. **"Where are we going…?"** Aang asked.

Ty Lee looked over her shoulder **"The back of the blimp…" **Ty Lee said.** "This vent takes smoke from the furnace if it ever over heats to the place where the propellers are…"**

Aang coughed from soot, **"I see…"**  
Ty Lee began crawling again.  
**"I got bored and sortta explored here once..." **she said over her shoulder.

Bellow them, guards were shaking awake the ones that had been knocked out and looking around the cell with bulged walls.

**"Azula…..will literally KILL us….if we let him get away…"** one of them said.

**"What if he's gone already!"** One said.

**"CHECK THE TURRATES MAKE SURE HE'S NOT FLYING AWAY SOMEWHERE!"** the commanding officer said, his glasses nearly coming off his face.

Finally Ty Lee and Aang were out of the vent and leapt down from the opening in it. They were outside now, on one of the beams where the propellers were, suspended above the rotor itself.

Ty Lee and Aang both worked on their balance walking across it till they had it down. A tight rope walker and an air nomad were naturally sure footed in situations others would fall in. Fortunately they were in the blind spots on the ship, none of the windows of the blimp could see that far back to where they were.

Aang looked at his glider…..he wanted to but it was no use….there was no way to transport both him and her safely on that glider, he was risking it as it was with his own weight.

**"It's okay Aang…."** Ty Lee said sadly, **"We'll meet up….and…..and I'll join your band…I promise you…."**

Aang looked at her as the wind blew his tunic straps and her hair. **"What if they find out you helped me….."**

**"They won't!"** Ty Lee said over the roar of the wind now mixed with the propellers. **"No one saw me escaping with you….as far as they know I'm still locked in my room."**

There was a fraction of silence between them, and Aang looked bellow them at the clouds and country side bellow them.

**"Promise me…." **Aang said, **"Promise me you won't forget...what i said, dont lose yourself…"**

Ty Lee tried not to tear up, **"I won't…." **she said.

They both could hear yelling from inside the blimp, **"Go!"** she said. Aang looked pained as he turned and held up his staff.

Ty Lee knew she had only a few minutes to climb up the ladder on the side of the blimp, get back inside by the top hatch and make like she was looking for Aang too…

She shut her eyes tight….

**"AANG WAIT!" **she said turning around and running at him.

He turned around just in time for her to nearly smack into him, standing on one toe, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying a hard kiss on his lips…

She felt his arm almost immediately come around her waist and lower back holding her tighter to him, kissing her back just as hard as her hair lapped his face in the wind.

Aang opened his eyes finally, letting the kiss break away as Ty got off her toes and stepped back, he wiped a tear off her face.

**"I'll come back for you….."** Aang said.

Ty Shook her head.

**"No….I'll come to you…I promise…."**

The shouting inside the blimp became more audible.

**"Good bye Aang….."** Ty Lee said.

**"Goodbye Ty Lee….."** Aang replied, he fell backwards off of the beam, and as he got smaller bellow her, activated this glider and…..it worked.

Oh thank heaven it worked…..and she watched him fly away, straight into a patch of clouds bellow them. **"Go Aang…"** she said to herself.

From inside the blimp she could hear people yelling, **"THERE! THERE HE GOES, TURN THE SHIP AROUND!"**

She quickly picked herself up and climbed up the supporting beams of the propellers like a ladder, with much bigger gaps in between and then swung on one of them like a trapeze until she had enough momentum to swing herself up and to the side, where she latched her hand onto a knob like bolt sticking out of blimp's side.

She then used that to swing towards the ladder on the side of the blimp and began climbing up it to the Top. If anyone saw her they would think she was climbing up from the cockpit cabin area.

Already there were several Fire Nation soldiers looking over the railing of the crows' nest trying to catch sight of Aang.

Ty Lee pointed, **"He's there!"** she yelled, they all turned seeing her come up alongside them. **"I saw something orange go into those clouds!"** she said.

The soldier nodded, and yelled threw the walkie-talkie tube leading to the cockpit, **"Turn right, turn right!"**

She leaned on the railing with her hair still blowing out in the real direction Aang had gone… **"I promise…."** she said again.


	24. Chapter 24

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

Two days later

**"Is that him? Is that really….? IT IS! AANG!"**

The words weren't out of Katara's mouth before Momo zipped up into the air to re-unite himself with his long gone Master. The little children on the ship they were on screamed in delight seeing him soar above them.

He slowed his glider to a halt right over their little ship and landed on the deck.

No sooner had he landed, was Katara's arms around him, hugging him and kissed him on the cheek.

It was frankly a little close to his mouth, it dazed him a little…..

**"Oh Aang!"** She said over joyed, **"I'm so glad you alright….we thought that might have been captured…."**

Toph punched Aang in the shoulder, **"Hey twinkle toes…"**

Aang laughed, glad for the diversion of the awkward moment…for him at least, **"Toph!"** he said happily, hitting her back, but to no avail.

Sokka got him in a semi-head lock began rubbing his head, giving him a noogy. **"HEY BUDDY! Hasn't been the same without ya…"**

Aang grinned up at him, rubbing his back in a hug, **"Sokka! You wouldn't believe what's happened to-…"**

He was interrupted by a new voice to his ears.

**"You are the Avatar?"**

Aang turned to see the new face that had spoken, **"I…er...am…."** He said not sure who he was or where this was going.

**"I am called Daiken…."** The young man said, **"And it is an honor to be in your presence…."** he said bowing his head and saluting him with his fists in the Earth Kingdom way.

Aang raised an eye brow laughing nervously, **"Ha-ha...….who's he?..."** he whispered.

Sokka replied in a hushed tone **"I call him Mr. Sandy man…..he's a sand bender from the desert, he's helping us take this kids to a town where we can hopefully find out who they belong too…"**

Daiken looked at Sokka with an _"I can hear you…"_ look on his face.

**"OH…"** Aang said, **"_OH!_"** he said much more loudly, noticing all the kids on board. **"Who are all they?"** he asked.

**"Oh….just some kids some guys were going to sell into slavery with the thing at the place…."** Toph said.

Aang shook his head, **"Whoa-whoa whoa wait…..slave ki- from WHERE?"**

Katara spoke up, actually a little concerned about why Aangs reaction to her hug and kiss hadn't seemed to affect him like she'd imagined.

**"From the mountains…"** she said, **"They were carried down from there to a depot co-owned by Fire Nation and sell out earth benders…..we met Jet and-"**

Aang cut her off,

**"Hold on….the mountains? That's where me and Ty Lee were trapped…in their stronghold, your saying you saved the kids from there?"** he said sounding relieved.

Sokka nodded, **"Yeah we di- HOLD ON…..You and Ty Lee? Isn't that that creepy spidery circus girl from the Fire Nation?"**

Aanag shook his head, **"She's not creepy, at all... And yeah that's her, we helped each other to escape and….."** he looked at Katara who's look had gone from questioning to worried.

**"I uh…..I guess I should explain….we may be having a guest pretty soon…."**

* * *

Fire Nation Balloon perched over Earth Kingdom Valley:

**"When I get my hands on that Avatar…"** Azula said, crunching a clay cup in her grasp, the water inside spilled all over the table she was holding it over.

**"If I may ma'am…."** Brago said, also aboard the Fire Nation blimp now in the council room. **"As I doubt he'll be showing himself like this any time soon, perhaps it would be best to get between him and Bai Sing Se?"**

Azula looked up at Brago, **"Well sense it was you who let those simpleton friends of his escape…..perhaps you should be the one to forward that?"** she spat.

Mai looked at Brago who didn't flinch, as was his way,** "There was a situation within our own ranks regarding possib- "**

Azula's fist slammed down on the table, **"I don't _CARE_ about yesterday's victory of stopping one, dirty Docking Major, profiteering from this war…..I want the sniveling little BRAT that would have ENDED the war for all of us!"**

Brago nodded, **"I'll address the matter immediately….guarding all the ports from here to Serpents Pass…."**

Azula shook her head,

**"No don't bother..." **she said, **"..They could be half way there by now…and our reach militarily doesn't extend that far by land…the children we'd hoped would slow them down were just found dropped off at a local village and they were paraded out of the town like heroes…they could move twice as fast now with the support of the passing villagers…"**

Ty Lee spoke up from her chair,

**"So…..we AREN'T going after them?"** she asked.

Azula scoffed, **"Pah, don't be an idiot Ty….of COURSE we are….just not by that way….we're setting our course for the desert land South of the great wall of Bai Sing Se…and bring it down. "**

Everyone save a few in the room murmured in disbelief or amazement.

**"THE Wall? How your grace?"** an officer said.

Azula walked around the table towards War Minister Qin, **"Our War Minister, Lord Qin has been burning the mid-night oil behind the scenes to prove his worth. The Secret weapon I've been mentioning originally was not the Avatar…but in fact his most recent project that is even now preparing for its maiden voyage to Ba Sing Se…"**

She stopped stepped back to give Qin the floor, he stepped forwards holding, a rolled up map by the looks of it.

**"Thank you your Excellency…."** He said bowing, and placed his scroll upon the table, **"Honorable Generals, and Officers...The Wall of Ba Sing Se as you know...has been inpenetrable for years upon end without an equal, correct?"**

Some nodded,

**"Well that assumption is Wrong...The Dragon of the West was able to breach it. Now what does that mean for us? That Nothing is inpenetrable...And if a great spirit beast could get through the defence of their capital...shouldn't we who felled such beasts into extinction be able to do better?..."**

Azula's cabinet stepped closer to the table for a closer look as he unrolled his charts.

**"This….is the Long Arm of Oazi…..a drill with the power to penetrate 15 miles of mountain rock…"**

One of the Major spoke up,

**"With all due respect Lord Qin….don't we have those for making tunnels for the trains that run through the hills….?"**

Qin pointed to a little shape no bigger than a child's thumb nail next to the schematics of the drill.

**"THAT is how big a man will be in comparison to the device…."** He said proudly.

Now everyone's attention was gotten, and the cabinet hummed their admiration one to another.

Ty Lee stared wide eyed at it, then looked at Azula who also looked at the Drill….unlike the rest of the men….she was not looking in admiration, but still in contempt….she glanced up from the schematics and images of the drill at Ty Lee who immediately looked back at the drawings of the devices innards. Now she could feel Azula's gaze on the top of her head….

**"With this Drill gentlemen…."** Qin went on, **"We will quite literally be able to MARCH our entire infantry right through the city streets of Bai Sing Se…."**

Azula looked up at Brago who still had his arms behind his back, leaning over the table to thoroughly look over the plans.

**"Brago do you see any flaw in the plan?..."** she asked flatly. Qin looked confidently from his charts to Brago, daring him to find a weak point.

Brago put his hand on it table looking over it once more to give an honest answer,

**"It has every guarantee of being a success your highness …."** He said. **"The wall's never been breached by military means, or force, so their defenses within the walls themselves wouldn't be up to match should our ground troops and tanks ever have opportunity to get IN…."**

Qin smiled proudly, but Brago went on,

**"My only concerns are the obvious ones….how to handle precautions the Earth Kingdom's counter measures will no doubt deploy on the ground surrounding the wall. As you said a dragon did breach their defence...but that dragon is now dead. If we underestimate them, this may just be a very large fools errand, this device has to be insured that it make to the wall, and into it without interuption. The ground discouragements they may have for our tanks surrounding the Tank as you show here…as our Tank's have been proven vulnerable to their defenses before…"**

Brago was of course referring to the attack by Tank lead years ago to try to capture Bai Sing Se near the South Western wall, where the remains of the Tanks still lay half submerged in dust and rock.

**"Trifles!"** Qin said, **"And I'm sure…"** he added, **"That with your foresight we could arrange for there to be precautions preventing these…problems?"**

Brago nodded, **"Of course….a few carefully deployed ground troops of our own, aside from the tanks of course…and make sure that they aren't seen coming, have them be deployed from the back and sides of the drill, at the last minute to take care of the ground resistance. The irony with this plan War Minister as I'm sure you know is in the element of surprise, despite its size. The Earth Kingdom won't know what to expect, so keeping them on edge should be able to shake them up enough to keep the advantage in our corner."**

Azula almost smiled walking around the table again,** "Excellent surmising Lieutenant…" **she said walking over to Lord Qin again.

**"Next morning…..Myself, you, Mai and Ty Lee here will accompany the War Minister back to his super weapon, and put this into motion…..when the wall falls, what aid and refuge the Avatar would have sought in the capital will be for not…."** Azula said.

Brago bowed, and Mai just looked to the side, **"Sure…."** she said shrugging sort of, and everyone in the council room nodded in approval. Ty Lee played along clapping merrily as she knew she would be expected to do normally.

Until she noticed Azula was looking at her funnily….so she stopped. What frightened her a little was that it was JUST Azula who was looking at her….as if she noticed something no one else did…but she had to play it off….keep her cool.

**"If there is no further news or concerns…dismissed, we have to prepare for drop off in the morning…."** Azula said looking at everyone else in the small war room.

Everyone bowed, saying long live the Fire Nation and began to slowly exit the room. Ty Lee was one of the first to head out the door.

**"ONE MOMENT...Ty dear could you stay….?"** Azula said without looking up from the table.

Ty Lee all but covered her mouth to keep a yelp from escaping her mouth, but turned around putting on a normal face. **"Sure Azula!"** she said smiling.

She walked up to the table and suddenly it caught in blue fire, along with the whole room as Azula glared at her, her eyes glowing blue too.

**"YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD FOOL ME TY?..."** she snarled in an inhumanly deep voice.

Suddenly the daydream in her head went away and she was standing in front of Azula at the table still.

**"I said…"** Azula repeated, **"You thought the meeting went well Ty?..."**

Azula nodded her head, **"Uh-huh.."** she said smiling. **"Betcha we catch him this time…."**

Azula nodded slowly looking back at the charts, Azula wasn't buying something, and Ty Lee was summoning all of her wit to keep from losing it…..alone….in this room…..WITH Azula of all people.

**"When the Avatar escaped….did you see how he exited the ship?"** she asked.

Ty Lee looked up at the ceiling like she was thinking… **"Um…nope….the last I saw of him before he broke out was when I asked to see him so I could slap him around for…..well…."**

Azula nodded her on,

**"I know, I know…..those oafish excuse for guards are off paying their dues….I've seen to that…."**

Ty Lee didn't know what that meant but other than banishment didn't want to know…

**"One thing…..I guess I want to ask you…"** Azula said.

Here it comes…..Ty Lee thought….you've seen Azula lie…you can do it…just say No I didn't…..

**"You said you wanted to settle things with him….let him know you weren't scared of him….what did you mean by scared?...Did he….hurt you in anyway Ty...?"**  
She asked this very seriously.

Ty Lee looked at her blinking, Azula went on,  
**"When you said he took advantage of your affections and you had to flirt your way off the mountain…..you two….-sigh- ….this is a bugger to say…You didn't have to do too much to get him to-"**

Ty Lee's eyes grew, **"OH NO!" **she said suddenly,** "No no no, we never…..No!.." **she said, then added,** "Not that…he didn't want too…."**

Azula rolled her eyes, **"Of course….Well….I just needed to make sure you weren't scarred in anyway Ty….you know I always look after my girls…."** she said sitting up from the table.

Ty Lee nodded, taking a large sigh of relief , **"Yeah….you do…." **she said.

Azula walked past her out the door, **"RIGHT from under our noses though….."** she said. **"And you didn't see him down any of the halls?"**

Ty Lee shrugged shaking her head, **"No….like I said I'd gone to bed to try to sleep off…..everything that had happened….then I hear THE AVATARS ESCAPED over and over so I jump up and think he's already outside so I climbed out the window along the side of the blimp to try to see if he'd flown off already."**

Azula nodded,  
**"Mhmm…you don't Fire bend Ty…why would you go some place your of no use, on the top of the blimp where we shoot our harpoons and bending…did you think he was up there…?"**

Uh oh….Ty Lee thought.

**"No but I'd seen how he flew when we got off the mountain, he said he liked to go for high up places…I thought maybe he went to the top to try to get enough whooshing momentum to glide away."**

Azula shortly smiled at the term whooshing as if the silly worded comment put to rest any doubt that Ty Lee was still Ty Lee, and said,

**"We were in the air Ty Lee…what higher place then th-…hmmm…still he'd need something long enough to run off of like a run way…never mind…I'm glad your with us again."**

Ty Lee nodded and hugged her, with one tow turned out behind her, **"I am too…"** she said. Keeping ones cool for Azula could be exhausting and she needed at least a second for Azula to not look at her face so she could compose herself.

When she let go of her in the hug that Azula…tolerated, she had her cheery chipper grin on again like she always did.

**"I'm going to get some rest actually…."** She said.

Azula nodded, **"Have some tea before you do…..works wonders…and goodnight"** Ty nodded and shut the door after her.. **"Good night"** she replied.

As soon as the door shut, Azula's smile changed to a frown, **"hmmmmmmmmm" **she said looking at the door still….

Meanwhile in the hallways of the air ships sleeping quarters, Brago heard a familiar voice behind him.

**"Well…saved by the ever-loving technicalities…."**

Brago smiled and turned around to see Mail meaning on her door post. He stood at attention, or at least up straight now facing her. **"Azula brought me on to help pick out the flaws in the plans put together here…."** He said shrugging.

Mai shrugged back,  
**"Even when the plans are your own?"**

Brago smiled, again **"Well that's generalizing…."** Mai raised a brow at this, still looking off slightly, **"Heh…guess I am…"** she said blandly. **"Just to warn you Azula's probably gonna stay pretty pissed at you for letting those guys escape, the slave story wont sway her…she's Azula."**

Brago rolled his own eyes,

**"Ha…I gathered as much. I suppose the inquiry as to where HER and her flight party were at the time wouldn't be a wise choice?"**

Mai actually smiled a little, but kept her eyes off him.  
**"Well…..stupider things've been done…."** she admitted.

He grinned,  
**"I suppose they have…."** Then seeing she said nothing bowed saying, **"Well goodnight ma'am…"**

Mai leaned off the door post and replied,  
**"Mhm…" **and retired towards her own room down the hall…

Brago watched her go and sighed to himself, then turned around and headed to his own quarters downstairs.

**"Sir?"** cam a voice from behind him again, only this time a man's. He turned about. **"Yes corporal?"**

The Fire Nation officer gave him a scroll. **"This just arrived by carrier pigeon-hawk."** He said, **"It's addressed for you sir…"**

Brago took it and recognized the seal, his eyes grew, **"Thank you corporal, as you were!" **The man bowed to him and walked on.

Brago didn't move from where he stood but unwrapped the ribbon and read it right there….

Suddenly his expression changed, slowly…..then all of a sudden looked angry, he shut the scroll almost ruining the paper.

Looking from inside her room with her door open just a crack, Mai saw his expression change all the way to him seemingly crumple the message before finally walking down stairs….that couldn't' have been good news..and she guessed it was from home.

Meanwhile inside her room Ty Lee was taking her deep breaths from her encounter with Azula…she had done it…she had fooled her…but this was twice now she had been cross-examined about….something, again having nothing to do with her loyalty..but still there was something underlining…. she just hoped she could wait it out till she could possibly sneak away and find Aang. They weren't even pursuing him now…now she was going to help Azula babysit a big dumb machine….no place for her to get lost by "accident " and end up with Aang's gang. But she'd find away….she closed her eyes and remembered the feeling of his lips on hers…how right it felt, and touched them.

**"I promise…." **She breathed out to herself.

END CHAPTER 1 OF BOOK 2: AANG/LEE

* * *

Authors notes:

_Hi Everman here, Listen i'd like to thank you all for being patient, I haven't been able to write out all my stories as fast as i'd like to have but school and all that, keeps a guy from writting his fics, you understand I hope._

_Anyway, PLEASE send me your reviews, comment on this story and chapter ending, and no, this is not the end of my series, just Chapter 1. _

_Peace, Everman the guardian of Taco's_


	25. Chapter 25

Avatar the Last Airbender: Alterations: Aang/Lee

Before the Journey out

Daiken, Toph, Sokka and Momo sat on the opposite side of the little lake that Katara and Aang were swimming in. Toph was kicking her leg in the water, Daiken was squatting on a rock making shapes in the sand deep in thought. Sokka on the other hand was reading over the maps they had recovered from the great Library.

**"Watcha doing?"** Sokka said looking from his maps to Daiken, still drawing.

Daiken didn't regard Sokka, he just kept making shapes in the sand as he waved his palm over it, it looked as if the sand was following the shadow of his hand on the ground.

**"Trying to understand our route….." **Daiken said,** "And how fast it'll take before we're followed…"**

Daiken the Sand Bender, had successfully escorted the child he'd been commissioned to find back to his parents who had by good fortune been traveling to Ba Sing Se in hopes of finding him on the road there.

After returning, Daiken decided…it being alright with Aang of course, that he would through in with their group, and accompany them the rest of the way to the capital by a more secluded route.

Most of the group, particularly Aang were unsure what to make of this…impromptu addition to the gang. Aang more then the rest considering where Daiken was from. However Daiken had confirmed several times he knew nothing of a "missing Bison" or any large beast, and that he wasn't even in the desert at the time. Aang of course saw that he wasn't lying and wasn't so out of sorts that he resented him, however there was no doubt that this sand nomad was a mystery to them.

So now the group knew he had no ill-intent for all things being concerned…problem was…they didn't know WHAT his intent was in general, other than as he said it, _"Aiding the Avatar in his quest for peace and perhaps teach him some new techniques."_ Sokka was skeptical himself about letting this…bounty hunter, if that's what he was, come into their fold when their only reference other then Katara's short one was that of the Fire Nation Prince and his Uncle.

Toph however pointed out that the Uncle was someone to be trusted, and anyway she felt no lie in his voice or heart rate when he spoke so for now, they could certainly use the help. And as almost a pride issue wanted to see what it was that this nomad had in his bending arsonel that she hadn't already showed Aang.

Either way everyone could tell that Aang felt…oddly very trusting nowadays….

**"Water bending ball!"** they heard from above them, and all 3 looked up to see Aang soaring down from a cliff's edge, hugging his knees.

Their eyes got big and covered themselves as a wall of water erupted from where he'd plunged in, soaking them all.

**"Gee thanks Aang…"** Sokka grumbled. **"Ancient irreplaceable maps from the great Library...Juuuust splash water on them…good going…."**

Aang came up spitting water like a fountain out his mouth, Momo perched on his head.

**"What?"** he asked grinning still, moving Momo's tale out of his face,

He saw the drenched group and the maps that Sokka was trying to shake water off of.

**"Ohhhh….."** Aang said, **"Sorry….."**

Suddenly they could hear the pitter patter of wet feet coming on the ground, Katara was walking out of the water,

**"Here…"** she said, **"Let me do that…"** she put her hands up and drew them back like she was shaking dust out a carpet.

Water drained completely from the maps until they were completely dry again, the ink was a little disarrayed but not so grievously that they couldn't make out what was said.

Daiken shook his head and moved his hands like he was turning something over, and the wet sand he was looking at now moved like a revolving door and turned to more dry sand that was underneath.

Toph glanced at the motion, **"That is…so cool….."** she said. Daiken didn't answer he just nodded his head in a thanks sort of manner.

**"Aang…"** Katara said ringing her hair a little to get water out. Aang looked up at Katara drying himself off now, **"Yeah Katara?"** he asked.

She bit her lip,

**"Um…could we…..talk…?"** she asked glancing behind her.

Aang shielded his face from Momo who was now shaking himself making water splash him. **"Heh…Sure thing Katara….."** Aang said trying to smile big.

She smiled at him warmly then started to walk back up the ledge that he had done his high dive from. Aang followed, but his smile had now disappeared…. He knew what this was about….sense the evening he informed them all of their…..possible addition to the Gang, everyone had…regarded Aang differently…not upset….or even resentful…but it wasn't normal either…..except Toph…who from her part decided not to be a part of it, and Daiken who he couldn't get a read on anyway.

She began walking up the rock path leading up to the ledge, still not talking, she looked stunning, her hair completely let down, seeing her shoulders, legs…her face still wet from the water….but….it wasn't the same amazement….not the same awe…

**"You um…."** Aang started, Katara turned around almost instantly, Aang's open mouth shut instantaneously.

**"You do realize who she is…."** Katara said. Aang shut his eye's, he'd been expecting something like this.

**"I do…I realize who she is…not who she was…."** He responded putting his hand on a rocky nub sticking out of the canyon wall to sure his footing.

They kept walking, **"Well regardless….I just….Aang I trust your judgment I really do its just…how do you Know that she isn't spilling her guts to that Fire Nation Princess now?..."**

Aang sighed,

**"I could just tell, it was in her eyes, how she spoke…the way we-….."** he stopped himself, **"….talked…"** he recovered.

Katara eyed him with a raised brow, she knew that wasn't what he was going to say but proceeded. **"You said yourself that she didn't try to rescue you before…."**

Aang rolled his eyes while her back was turned,

Katara turned around again, **"But you- Whoa!"** she slipped losing her footing, immediately, Aang reached his hand out to catch her….

**"Thanks…"** she said moving some hair out of her face, **"And it's been almost a week since you said you two would meet up eventually….what if…they've gotten to her and want to use her to lure us out?"**

Aang looked up at the sun, they were at the top of the ledge now, if they went a little further they would be able to see Sokka, Daiken and Toph and the pool bellow.

Aang didn't answer this,

**"I mean think of it?"** Katara went on, **"What if they know of your meeting if it was genuine…."**

Aang interrupted her on this,

**"It IS genuine…."** He said not meaning to put as much edge into it as he did.

Katara paused before going on and Aang regretted his tone….

**"Saying it is….." **she went on** "...what if they found out about it and want to use that as a ploy to make us reveal ourselves, how do we know that if we do see her coming over that ridge that it won't be just a lure for us to go running up to her fruit baskets in hand, only to be met by a dozen Fire Nation tanks even she didn't know about…?"**

Aang sighed, **"I wasn't thinking about that as much as you…I guess…."** He admitted.

**"Well I've noticed…."** Katara said, none of her words were angry or pointed, just concerned, but also something else underlining….

**"We all have but….."** Katara looked to the side at the ledge overlooking the falls. **"But….I saw you sneaking away a few nights ago…."**

Something rose inside Aang that made him choke as it went up from his stomach to his throat.

**"I know when you said you thought you heard Appa…the day before…."** She went on, **"You may have actually been looking for him…..but…I think you were also looking for someone else…."**

Aang did his best not to act caught….and failed miserably.

**"And…."** Katara said not letting it go, **"I think when you snuck away….you weren't looking for Appa either….."**

Aang made fists, and it felt like sweat was going down the back of his head but it was just the cold sensation of being found out.

**"Aang…who ever she is…or was…..she's impairing your judgment…."** Katara said. **"Maybe you should focus on us reaching Ba Sing Se….and let what happen happen….."**

No…she was saying for him to give up on her, he knew it, even though that's not what she was saying, what if she needed him….the thought of someone sabotaging their rendezvous…of her being put in chains like he had been….scared like Zuko was, banished…or….

**"I can't!"** He said. Katara blinked.

**"WHY can't you?"** Katara said, being jared by his exclaimation.

**"I can't just pretend like she didn't help me….she risked her life so I could get back to all of you….I can't just say thanks you did your part, and go off on my Avatar way. I can't let her think she isn't worth the extra- "** Aang stopped, biting his tongue all to late….

Katara just looked at him, **"Why…."** Katara asked again, **"Why is she more important than your safety or common sense…we only just now got you back…."**

Aang looked away from Katara knowing he wouldn't be able to hold it together if he kept looking in her eyes, searching him out, inside and out.

**"Yes you do…." **Aang finally said,** "...because of her...I can't forget that….and neither should you…."**  
Squinting his eyes shut at the way he'd said the last sentence, and not wanting to see what it had made Katara feel, he jumped over the ledge again into the water.

**"Aang!..."** Katara called as he sailed over the edge into the water with a splash, not as big as his previous one…but a large one.

She put her face in her hand, she'd TOTALLY blown that one….yet at the same time she couldn't deny it….something for SURE was going on between Aang and this….now-not-evil Fire Nation acrobat. There was something Aang was avoiding alright, something he didn't want her finding out about….and it was the reason he was so…passionate about being reunited with her.

She remembered in the cabin of the boat they'd escorted the children on, his eyes when he talked about her…how…without actually saying it, he painted her as amazing, funny, wonderful….beautiful….well Katara had threwn the last one in but it wasn't for lack of hints.

And she wasn't jealous….not at all….she was just concerned…..I mean half of this was her fault…if she'd actually talked to Aang like Toph had said, he might not have gone on that self imposed hiatus and nearly gotten himself captive or even met this freaky gymnast…..so help her if this WAS a scheme….if this WAS some elaborate Fire Nation ruse to get Aang vulnerable she swore she would-

**"HEY!"** came a voice from bellow them, **"Katara!"** It was Sokka, bellow her she could see Aang, Toph, her brother and Daiken facing what looked like a family of 3 by the water's edge.

* * *

Ty Lee washed her face in one of the shower stalls in the shower room of the outpost stationed near where Qin was putting the finishing touches on his…..Drill. It would be ready to go that afternoon, she had her things packed aboard it, and she knew her place with the de-landing crew…and despite her new convictions this all meant one thing…she hadn't been found out.

She washed her arms after getting the soap out of her eyes and…..

She turned around…

She'd thought she'd heard someone….she glanced over her shoulder. The stall walls were high enough so that you could look over the edge if you got on your toes, and she was shorter then most so she was good.

Through the steam of the shower room she could see the door to entrance open a-jar a bit. She rolled her eyes….and continued washing but this time facing the door.

She had been cooped up in this outpost for almost a week and a half. She had of course had to keep the persona of still wanting the Avatar caught to fool everyone else. She needed an excuse to be sent out to go after him, find some way to get separated from the hunting party, and join Aang herself. This had been denied a number of times and she had decided to stop asking to arouse suspicion. So now here she was, assigned to help with the infiltration of some boring wall on a huge drill thingy…away from Aang who was for sure wondering where she was….if he hadn't forgotten about her already.

When she'd finished, she turned the water off and reached her hand over the wall of her shower stall for her towel. She smiled to herself remembering how Aang had come in on her taking a bath when she was in nothing but her underthings, and how funny it was watching him stumble about refusing to open his eyes for her sake. He was sooo cute…it resulted in her missing him even more….

Where was her bloody towel?...

**"Hello Ty…"**

Came a voice that made her hair stand up on end. She looked wide eye'd over the side of her shower stall to see the back of Azula's head….leaning against the wall of her stall.

She let out a shrill _**"EEP!"**_ and almost slipped, **"Azula…."** She said, **"You uh…."** she chuckled recovering, **"..scared me…."** She took a moment, backing up out of Azula's line of sight so she could pant terrified at the floor, her heart pounding in her chest like a drum as she covered it by crossing her arms.

**"Sorry for the impromptu visit but….."** Azula said, still leaning against the stall. **"I wanted to inform you personally that…the Avatar's been sighted…."**

Ty Lee backed up fully and completely against the other wall of her shower stall, only seeing the back of the tip of Azula's gold Fire Nation hair flame.

**"Y-you have…"** Ty Lee asked unable to shake the nervousness out of her voice. **"That's awesome…!"** she followed up with.

Azula's arms were folded and she looked at the tiled shower room floor, she smirked to herself.

"**I knew you'd get a kick out of it….you'd been so adamant about meeting him again to give him what for, for misusing you and escaping from under your nose again…."**

Ty Lee shut her eyes, she could hear her own heart beat in her chest like she was putting her own ear up to it.

This was what…try number 10? For almost the entirety of her time back with Mai and Azula, in her own little subtle ways, Azula had been….making her feel more uncomfortable than usual. Maybe it was because Ty was making it so easy for her, she defiantly had to _ACT_ every time she was around Azula, whether she was talking about the Avatar or not, it took sheer will to just plain keep a normal visage around her. Maybe it was because she actually suspected something like she feared, and was just waiting for her to admit to everything before she…electrocuted her. Or maybe Azula was in one of her period-esque moods and was taking out her frustration at losing the Avatar out on her by scaring her like a little rabbit. Brago was the one who had pointed this possibility out. Because he was partially in the dog house too by letting the Avatar's friends go, he confided in her…partially.

**"Oh and um…Ty?"** Azula said standing up now so she could fully see the back of her head.

Ty Lee slammed her eyes shut again, and just blurted out the words not caring what followed after, she was going to pass out…..

"**Azula would you please hand me my towel…"**

She felt something brush her arm she was using to cover herself up with and nearly squeaked again but opened her eye a smidge to see her towel dangling by her arm, held by Azula who was handing it to her over the stall while still looking in the opposite direction…..thankfully.

"**I was going to say…."** Azula went on, **"Your towel fell off the rack…..there were some maintenance boys peeping earlier waiting for you to come out and pick it up….they won't be doing that again…."**

Ty Lee grabbed up the towel immediately and somehow put it on faster than even she thought she could.

"**Thanks!"** she breathed out shortly.

And backed out her bathroom stall door away from Azula's side, **"I better dry off before I start itching….thanks again!"** she said and ran down the row of shower stalls out the door.

She nearly bumped into Mai.

"**Whoa…."** Mai said in her unenthusiastic way, she couldn't even act surprised when she was startled.

Ty Lee moved some hair out of her face, **"Oh hey….Mai… "** she said breathing a bit easier.

"**You seem…jumpier then usual….."** Mai confessed. Ty Lee pulled her towel tighter, then breathed out:

"**Sorry it's just…..Azula seems…." **She decided to go with Brago's solution, even if it wasn't right. **"Ever since the Avatar escaped from the air ship she's been…well….acting weird around me….like it's my fault for letting him go….I was the one who kept him around for you guys to pick up!"**

Mai shook her head folding her arms, Ty Lee looked to see if there was any mistrust or suspicion on her face as well…to see if Azula had perhaps convinced her of Ty Lee's new ties, but saw none.

"**Azula's probably just upset cause me and her went on a wild goose chase for Kehoshi warriors while everything else was happening…."** Mai shrugged.

Ty Lee took the biggest breath, (mentally) then she had the whole morning, **"So that's the big secret as to where you and Mai where while everyone was escaping."**

Mai looked behind her as if to make sure Azula wasn't around the corner, **"I see no reason to sit on it now…." **She confessed,** "…we landed with our team to try to take them in for some…new plan Azula has for **_**plan B**_** for this whole wall thing. We tried capturing them and….heh what do you know, it was all a set up, **_**to capture us**_**…..it didn't work but…..Azula was pretty pissed. "**

Ty Lee rolled her eyes understanding, and hoped that perhaps Brago's solution was the right one….or wished.

"**But if you tell anyone I said that….I'm going to smother you in your sleep..k?"** Mai said.

This was her way at being funny, even though she said it with a straight face, this was so great….all she had to worry about was Azula, which was still bad but not as bad as enemies on both sides.

Ty Lee giggled and went up to hug her.

"**NOT wet…." **Mai said putting her hands up,** "And not in a towel…." **She added.

* * *

Back at the canyon spring:

"**So if it wouldn't be too much bother…."** The Father of this new group said, **"We were wondering if you would…well escort us to the shipping port…"**

The group looked at each other for a while.

"**Evil ridden pathway of death…"** Katara mused, **"Or…safe and comfy boat ride….."** she finished looking at Sokka.

Daiken's arms were folded, **"It might be more practical actually to go the way of death…less likely to be followed…."** He said.

Everyone looked at him, then he glanced at the mother with child before them.

"**But given the circumstances…we may have to risk it…..ultimately the decision should fall with you…"** he said turning to Aang.

Aang looked at the family.

"**It would be more safe for the baby….and that's our primary concern…"** he said.

Katara looked at him and smiled.

"**Sure…we'll escort you the short way down to Full Moon Bay..." **

The wife of the group smiled then held her stomach yawning a bit.  
**"Honey?"** the man said holding her up a bit more.

"**I'm fine….."** she said rubbing her eye a little.

"**Maybe she should rest a little…its best we start in the morning anyhow…."** Daiken advised.

Sokka looked at Daiken, **"Hey no offence…but even though you're the quiet scary seeming new guy….you still leave it up to the original members to the team to make the decisions aroun- "**

Katara bumped his shoulder,

"…**Decisions like pretty much going along with what you just said….."** Sokka said as his face drooped, folding his arms.

* * *

Mai walked outpost towards the fields she'd been told Lieutenant Marshall Brago was supposed to be, why couldn't Ty Lee be sent to tell him, or a servant or something…yeah she was going this way anyhow….but ugh…all she wanted to do was to be forced talk to someone else today that wasn't in her plan…let alone Brago…his smug little way. (Once again he is voiced by Joseph Gordon Levitt)

She heard grunting as she neared a corner, there were many male grunts as she listened further and peaked her head around the corner.

She saw Brago, and at least 12 other troops, they were either shirtless or in red, sleeveless fire nation vests, and were doing kata's in the dry grass, Brago was among one of the shirtless.

_**"Release!"**_

Brago shouted and they began jerking their elbows in a certain direction in formation, before jerking their fists as well.

"**Down!"** Brago yelled in a voice that was much louder and sterner then his usual calm tone, and they all dropped to their knees along with him as if they were ducking something,

Mai leaned on the side of the wall,

"**Downward, upwards, rising dragon horn."** Brago cried and along with him, they all jumped, some fire bending, some lashing out with imaginary weapons.

"**Bending!..." **Brago said and they all spun around as one in an evasive manner and acted as if they were clothes lining their advisory with their wrists or fists.

"**FACE!"** he said and they all stopped were they now stood which was all in a line again, and stood with their hands behind their backs.

"Your quick men….quick and strong!..." Brago said as he began pacing in front of them, **"But you must be quick and stronger still….this super weapon can guarantee victory but only as much victory as we allow it room to claim. You are of the Dragons Kite battalion, the right arm of the Fire Nation in the Western world! And you will be the ones to help bring down the reason we have remained docile here….AM I CLEAR MEN?"**

The men belted with a loud; **"Sir! Yes sir!" **in reply.

"**What?"** Brago barked sternly.

The men repeated even more loudly, **"SIR YES SIR!"**

"**Good…now….clean yourselves up and get ready…we're leaving in a few minutes…"** he said wiping the sweat from his forehead and bowing to them in a fire nation salute.

They bowed to him in turn and jogged down the way towards the men's quarters and showers.

Mai whisked back from around the corner putting her back entirely against the wall out of sight.

She couldn't just go out there and say, _"Hey….I was totally peeping at you while you sweatily trained…"_

Something broke her train of thought, or someone…

"**Mistress Mai, is something wrong?"  
**

Mai turned to her left and saw Brago standing right there putting a towel over his shoulder. **"Uhh…." **she said at him.

Well at least she saw what his muscles looked like close up, they were certainly there. Like Zuko's you wouldn't tell it from the normal armor he had on that covered everything bulkily, but were certainly…there….and defined….and sweaty. She also noticed snaking down from behind his ear was what she had guessed from before but never really cared much about after, to be a dragon-wave tattoo, leading downwards and behind his back from his shoulder.

Brago put on his sleavless vest immediately, Mai snapped herself out of her pause and hoped to god she wasn't actually blushing, she would die if that were so.

"**Yeah…."** She said regaining her composure, **"Azula wants you to know we're leaving in 30 minutes not 40…so not to be late."**

Brago nodded,

"**Thank you…."** He said, **"Was there anything else…."** His reply was sharp, and to the point, and seemingly uninterested in her…which she wasn't expecting. It wasn't impolite, just very direct, usually that was her job.

"**No guess not…"** she said. He bowed to her,

"**Excuse me then ma'am…I do NOT need her royal highness more ticked…." **He said and jogged by her in the direction she had come.

Now time for the inner debate…should she actually turn her head to simply…justify the curiosity of what the rest of his tattoo looked like…..and NOTHING else….or did she- OH why was she even having this inner debate, it didn't matter, she didn't CARE.

She turned her head to look over her shoulder,

THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT! She told herself in her head, I meant it didn't matter if I DIDN'T LOOK.

But now she was glancing completely over and could certainly identify that it was indeed a dragon on his well defined back….she also saw him glance over his shoulder as if a bee had buzzed him, and in the process saw her looking at him.

She immediately whipped her head back around, _"OH-MY-GOD!"_ he must have thought I was….GAH that insufferable man…she said walking….she didn't even know where she was walking now, but she didn't care, she was almost sure she was blushing and he would NOT get to see that.


	26. Chapter 26

Avatar the Last Airbender: Alterations: Aang/Lee

My eye for an ostrich horse

Village of Moi Shai, 5 miles from Full Moon Bay:

The Captain of the mercenary's of Lung Veng looked down at the boy..named Lee, laying on his back in the middle of the village square, defiant….good.

"**On account of having to interlope on our legitimate transaction with this little village…the Mercenary force of Lung Veng….hereby sentences you to Death!..."** he said in a cool cruel manner.

He glanced at the four ostrich horses, each with ropes tied from their legs to one of the boy's hands, and legs.

"**See these Ostrich steeds? They're gonna take their saddle bags, along with most of you….to the four corners of the Earth Kingdom…." **he said,

"**Soon as I light this here fire work…."** He said pulling a firework from a local vender they had raided when coming into town.

The boy Lee looked up at him with contempt, but not fear, just a look of, _"You are SO dead…when I get out of here…"_

"**This Is one of the few towns that that elect their official of their entire district by vote to true…but…the people need to know…who's the best candidate you understand…we're hired to just… remind them of that better choice…just a little demonstration. There was no need for your…theatrics…" **

The man said touching his jaw where the young man had punched him earlier.

**"When this is done…they'll know just what'll happen to em if they don't vote the smart way…."** He continued smiling at some of the children in the square who backed away in fear.

The young man tied between the ostrich horses snarled at him as he did.

The captain chuckled and strummed his goatee, **"Now now boy…"** he said, **"Don't go hurting yourself…..After all no one'll ever have to comment about that little….battle wound of yours again will they?"**

He glanced at the boys scar in the shape of a flame on his left eye, the boy still didn't say a word.

The Captain's men all chuckled to themselves, and the towns' folk quivered behind them.

He struck the match in his hand on his iron cuff with the face of a dragon on it.

He heard a sizzling and a popping, very loud for the small flame the match was making, then he noticed the binds around the wrist of the scar faced boy was smoking a little.

"**What-"** The captain said before suddenly his own hand caught on fire with the enlarged flame of the match, enveloping his arm.

"**AAAH!"** he cried in agony.

An old man suddenly burst from the crowd, grabbing a mercenary's sword and chopped two of the remaining ropes attached to the boy's foot and hand, before hopping atop one of the great birds he'd just freed, and sped off down the street with a few mercenaries giving chase after being shaken from their dazzlement.

The boy Lee, who of course was really Zuko, quickly sat up and grabbed his other rope which was still tied to his foot as he was dragged through the dust. Why couldn't his uncle have cut THIS rope too? No matter if he didn't want a fractured tale bone he had to work fast. He used his chi and bending to heat the rope till it sizzled and finally snapped before any actual flame had to show, this hiding his fire bending was becoming such an encumbrance….but they had to if they didn't want to be martyred by the people they were helping. After cutting through the rope he shinnied up it and onto the back of the beast, putting his arms about its neck and saying, **"Easy boy…easy!" **

He felt a pebble hit his face and ducked.

Just in time for a boulder the size of his face hurltled right above his head as he ducked down, the Mercenaries were giving chase and pelt bending rocks at him.

They were in too closed quarters for the beasts to do any real running without trampling people…yes…..he needed to use the beast to their advantage….

He made the Ostrich horse turn a 1.80 and galloped towards the man who had been bending at him who dropped his hammer at the stampeding beast and ducked into a café he was in front of. The ostrich's hoof feet crushed the wooden handle of the hammer into splinters as he rode over it, right where the man would have been standing had he not leapt away.

He could make out looking to the left, on the other side of the building, his uncle riding the ostrich horse for dear life with a few mercenaries after him. He looked ahead of them and saw who he had been looking for, the mercenary with the bow. He was aiming for Iroh from one of the roofs.

He stood on the back of the ostrich horse as he neared the low roofs of one of the shops and as he came close enough, made a gigantic leap which he _JUST_ made before running long it to climb up a higher roof next to it of the next building like a free runner.

Not caring if someone saw him at this point, he fire bent a flame at the man atop one of the building roofs making him drop and lose his bow, and his balance before falling 2 stories down. He saw his uncle riding past he building holding an arrow in his hand throwing it in the face of the man pursuing him making him fall over so as not to be hit.

Zuko leapt down from the building roof onto an umbrella like canapé of a shop, bouncing off of it and landing on the back of the mercenary that had taken his swords away.

In an instant he had unsheathed them from his sheath which was at present on the man's back and held the blade under his throat.

"**TELL EVERYONE ELSE TO STAND DOWN NOW!"**

He growled.

"**I can't…."** the man sputtered; **"Only the captain can say-"**

He was interrupted by the very same captain,

"**We….stand down men…" **

Zuko glanced up to see the Captain, once proud and arrogant to have this village in fear, now holding his charred arm, and hunched over with his Uncle Iroh behind him with his own sword at his back.

The crowds cheered, and Zuko stood up off of the soldier, but still held his sword at the back of his neck.

I guess….no one saw me fire bend….Zuko thought to himself as he saw the crowds cheer at them.

Iroh was looking at the arm of the Captain,

"**If you leave now and keep walking south…you should be able reach the next town before that wound is infected…I don't think there is a doctor here who would offer you a hand…"** He said looking about the angry towns' folk.

The captain regarded them all who looked like they wanted to plow a rake into him…which was probably accurate,** "I'd start moving if I were you…"** Iroh put in, **"I wasn't joking about if you left now….it's already looking pretty bad…."**

The mercenaries helped their captain by putting their arms under him, to help him walk,  
**"What about our Ostrich horses?"** one of them said.

Zuko smirked,

"**I doubt your…tributes will be coming with you this time around…." **

Suddenly rocks were pelted from the towns' folk at the 9 men until finally they were in the distance and out of town as the crowd cheered.

He recalled how before when he'd visited a little village, corrupt earth bending soldiers had come to do exactly what these mercenaries were doing….he had intervened like he and his uncle had this time…but when it was discovered he was of the Fire Nation, he was all but threatened to leave…

Suddenly he felt his uncle's hand on his shoulder,

"**When you went into town to get supplies my nephew…I did not know it would turn quite so eventful…"**

Zuko brushed his arm off his shoulder,

**"Well took you long enough…."** He grumbled walking past his uncle to pick up some of their things that were tossed about.

**"Thank you so much…"** came a voice from behind them. **"How will we repay you kind sirs?..."**

Zuko and Iroh turned round to see an elderly man holding a stick next to some other towns people.** "A place to stay perhaps…for the night?"**

Iroh grinned bowing, **"You are to kind…but really we are no heroes and we should not impose upon you fine people who must I'm sure revaluate all that was about to be taken…"**

The old man looked at the towns people picking up the knocked down stands and boxes, and refilling the baskets that had been emptied.

**"Are you sure there is nothing we can do?"** he asked again.

Iroh shook his head,  
**"We simply wish to make it to Full Moon Bay to make an early departure in the morning tomorrow…"**

The old man's eye brows rose, **"Well you won't make it without a good night's rest, and if you've plans to be on your way by tomorrow…"**

Zuko looked at the setting sun, **"Brilliant…."** He mumbled.

**"Not without these Ostrich horses…."** The old man finished. He put two fingers under his fluffy white beard and blew, whistling. In no time at all two of the ostrich horses were trotting towards them.

Iroh shook his head, **"We couldn't…."**

But the before the old man could speak up in protest, someone else came from behind him.

**"No please…."** He new man said who struck a resemblance to the older man.

**"Take them….I don't have to worry about my two young girls being taken or used as an example for those ruffians…with me unable to do anything…"**

Both Zuko and Iroh looked at the man who they could tell now had a wooden leg, for it clopped along the wooden porch they were on.

**"This man is my father…"** he said putting his hand on the old man's shoulder, **"And the bird-steeds are mine…our family raises them…..please you would honor us by using them to take you the rest of the way. You can sell them once in town for anything else you may need…"**

Iroh and Zuko looked at each other then Iroh bowed, Zuko doing the same,

**"We cannot thank you enough…"** Iroh said.

Iroh and Zuko were now on the backs of the two Ostrich horses and trotting out of the village,

Some of the little children were waving at Iroh while he smiled at them animatedly and waved back.

Zuko just kept his basket hat down, he heard to the side some giggling and saw some village girls waving at him too and blushing, he just tipped his hat down further and rode a little faster.

* * *

Katara lay in her bunk looking at the tent that the family they were to escort had set up. They had of course stated how uncomfortable they felt with them having the only tent while they all slept outside, but they had said that they had all been sleeping beneath the stars long before this and it was no trouble, the wife needed a tent because of the miracle in her stomach, Toph even added she hated tents….

She could hear the husband telling the wife, **"I love you…."** Not in a corny way…or a…alluding way that would suggest she stop her ears there in then, it was a genuine heartfelt sentence….probably she was asleep and he was just verbalizing it.

She smiled to herself then rolled over, she could see the curvature of Aang's head, all but shining in the moon light, but it wasn't his head that was gleaming it was his eyes. His eyes that were wide open. As her own eye's adjusted to the dark, she could see that his hands were behind his head and he was looking up at the night sky, not many stars…just a moon. She could also see that the look on his face was…a happy one, not ecstatic…but…defiantly thinking of something wonderful… Her smile dissipated, it wasn't Appa he was thinking of….or the family with the baby…or reaching Ba Sing Se with the Earth King…..it was her. That chi stealing acrobatic little-

She saw him moving on his side a little and quickly shut her own eyes and did her best to fake sleeping.

* * *

Under the same sky, in a different region, Ty Lee was looking out over mountains they were passing by on the roof of the great device that Azula was now in the cockpit of.  
The Drill…the arm of the Fire Nation, heading towards Ba Sing Se, and away from Aang…with Azula either knowing she was lying…or pressing her till she cracked….hopefully with this new plan of hers…or more War Minister Q, or Quiggly or whatever his name was….she'd be at least a little distracted from checking up on her…

She felt the wind hit her face and closed her eyes, imagining it was Aang….she kissed the wind as it ceased blowing. She knew it was terribly corny but…..it was as if she was secretly wishing the wind would carry her kiss to him.

Inside the great device Mai was looking at her sleeping quarters, they were….tolerable, not incredibly furnished but decent enough….although for size…she began to appreciate the size of her former room aboard the Fire Nation blimp….also constructed by War Minister Qin. To her surprise, the vessel did not jostle or bump all the way there…it was like being on a wagon that was towed by a string down the road, smooth…

After lying in her bed she got bored very quickly and got up to stretch her legs…might as well see what this scrap heap had to offer in terms of places to walk…it was big enough from the outside.

She passed by several guards and maintenance men, one of whom bowed to her before turning his back to her again to stoop back down to fix something. She quickly turned away as he did….

**"Didn't they invent belts for these guys too….ew…."** she mumbled in her head.

She walked up the first, second, and third level of the vehicle, not knowing exactly where she was headed…or even the way back, she just knew she was beyond the points she had been to on the tour she'd taken the previous afternoon.

Know what the best part was of it? She was still just as bored.

Well in truth not as much…she was bored and doing something as opposed to being bored and doing nothing…or even worse being bored and staring at the ceiling doing nothing, which in her experience was maddening, it could even make one….speak to someone….for no reason…..to make conversation…..and she was determined not to let it come to that..

She finally came to a door that was open a crack.

Not wanting to return, and certainly not have to pass by the workman who's "crack" she had spied…she decided to press her luck yet again and see if there was yet another door behind this one, hopefully leading somewhere familiar.

She pushed it open carefully, and peeked in….seeing no one, she didn't see a great deal of machinery, just a long hallway going from right to left before making bends at either end…..

**"Alright…."** She said to herself, **"ONE of the two…then I go back…."** She promised herself. She opened the door more widely and it stayed open, she let it go and walked….she picked a side.

**"Left…."** She said to herself. That was the front of the machine anyway…she thought.

She looked around the corner of the left end of the hall and saw…gears and knobs and dials gagging the….she didn't know actually, pressure….speed…something….

She reached the end to find, Oh Great…another dead en-

_-SLAM-_

There was a definite, but not loud slamming sound of metal. _"NO!"_ she thought.

She ran back to look at the metal door which was now shut, she tried opening it but to no avail.

_"Oh Damn!"_ she thought…. **"No..no…"** she banged on it a little, saying as loud as she thought could be heard.

**"Hey…Anyone on the other side of that door?"** she heard nothing, and why wouldn't she? People didn't know she was down here…unless she was followed. She sighed realizing help was not there to come.

She looked to the right end of the hall at the other corner….

She groaned, then leaned off the door and walked down said path way to the far end of the hall, thinking.

She made the corner and Valla, she saw….a catwalk leading out of the hallway and over a bunch of…what looked like gears, it went to the other side of the machinery before hanging a left out of sight.

**"It's the direction I came from…"** she said following the pathway with her eyes, **"In any way it's a lot better than waiting for someone to find me…"** she mused to herself.

She walked down the catwalk, and in doing so was able to overlook now, the vast machinery bellow.

She had to admit it as a sight to see…..well sight was seen and the moment was gone, she wanted out of here now, where was she? Suddenly she heard footsteps, an exit was nearbye?

**"You inspecting the vessel now ma'am?" **Came a voice she recognized only too well, immediately she began thinking about a dragon tattoo.

**"Are you stalking me now?"** she said refusing to even look in the direction of Brago's voice…

She could hear his footsteps coming down the catwalk and stop, **"Where it my station to say, I'd say I could ask you the same…I've been down here for some time, how did you get down here exactly?"**

Mai wasn't going to answer that, To say honestly; she'd admit she _happened_ to end up here which would sound terribly suscpicious of her looking for him. She looked up at the vast ceiling, she just wanted to get back to the upper level again, she was sure there'd be something to do once she was out of here and-

**"Do you play Dokia?"** he suddenly asked.

She stopped and thought about this, if she said yes now…honestly, he could escort her back without the hassle of having to explain that she was lost…she could then excuse herself saying she'd forgotten something to do when she got to more familiar ground.

She turned around fully, **"Why…?"** she asked. There he was, hands behind his back as usual, his hair in a pony tail now instead of free like it had been earlier over his shoulders. He wasn't in Armor however, simply an evening tunic uniform…for officers yet still not for battle.

**"Well considering that the rate of this machine is moving is so breath taking I thought I'd distract myself from the euphoria by playing some, and if you play yourself…"**

Mai smiled a little,

Constantly running into this young man was beginning to be suspicious, yet each time she was finding him, not the other way round. She saw no harm in playing with Brago because she knew there would be little fear of striking up a conversation with him, he was as talkative as her where it came to matters of concentration. Either way it was a way out, what's more he hadn't talked about…knowing her in early years.

* * *

Azula leaned against the railing of the observation balcony on the huge device as it moved along, the transit was clean and smooth. The shocks as War Minister Qin boasted, were beyond efficiency, she hadn't felt one bump while she'd been inside the device…which impressed her, and at the same time bored her. She had seen the nose of this great drill moving constantly in a straight path towards nothing but starry sky and desert, she wanted to see that great wall, that un-topplable force that had for so long stood defiant against her Nation, and such against her. SHE would be the Fire Nation royalty who finally brought down ALL the standards in their way, be it Wall, army or Avatar.

She heard a screech all of a sudden and she glanced up, she heard something very soft over the loud moaning of the device on which she was riding, and saw some of the stars blinking out in sequence, what looked like towards her. She smiled to herself, being able to see clearly in the moonlight, it was a carrier pigeon hawk.

She lifted her arming, focusing her eyes on it, even if it wasn't supposed to light on her arm, if you could capture their gaze, like charming a snake, with the right amount of command in them, they'd instinctually land on your arm believing you to be their assigned perch. It deviated from its flight path and it landed gracefully on her arm.  
Azula smirked to herself as she unwrapped the ribbon round the scroll that was tied to its neck. It had the fire nation emblem on the wax so it was for their vehicle likely as not, whether it was for her or not was besides the point, she had the seniority.

She looked over the letter then crumpled it setting it to flame, those Kehoshi warriors were more trouble than they were worth, though saboteurs they may be, they were beginning to mobilize and unite their forces, become a small militia, aid the armies of Earth Kingdom against them. She hated to admit it but Brago's Kite battalion were every bit needed, they were the small ranger force that was keeping forces like theirs from becoming more of a problem then they were worth.

If only she hadn't been so confident in her grasp of the Avatar…no...no that was not hers….it w as her men's error, men who should have known to fire bend the boy in chains on the spot at the first sign of an escape attempt…not raise the alarm…her father did want him alive…just barely…..she thought…. _"People in coma's are still alive…aren't they brother?"_ she smiled at the memory of the conversation. Regardless she could only hope now that her forces on the ground would be able to suppress any attempts to get by to any of the depots or public transportation ways …if the Avatar hadn't used them already…and not to worry…she WOULD get her revenge on those clown faced fan waving ding bats…they were just the faces needed for her backup plan….speaking of which…where was Ty? She loved seeing the stars…?

* * *

Brago's moves were swift and precise, like himself. He moved his larger piece behind Mai's in a way that she would have to sacrifice the location of another larger piece to move, he was good. Fortunately playing with Zuko…or rather beating Zuko, regardless of whether he let her win…had given her some skill, and she moved her second smaller piece back…hoping that Brago would take the bait…

Brago strummed his chin with his fingers a bit, he was seeing the consequences of his next move. There was little chance that she could keep up her god game for long, he'd obviously enjoyed playing it more than her and was a better strategist…perhaps he knew the flaw in her move already and was being polite about it. Either way she was glad to be out of the bowls of this big behemoth, and to be in the company of someone who didn't want to chat her ear off.

Brago moved his own piece back in the same way, then glanced at her then at the board, the move made no sense but it had a purpose she knew it. She looked at all the places he'd gone before, and at her owns spaces looking for a pattern, he'd been moving in patterns all the while, and she was only finding out about them after they'd conquered ground or a piece…but now she thought she saw his. She took a chance and moved her piece to the side it was a safe enough distance from the rest of her pieces. The moment she had did this however, Brago moved the same piece forward twice and now she saw her mistake, she was trapped; now there was no way for her to not reveal the position of one of her big pieces.

**"Hmm…"** she said slightly, **"Nicely done….no pattern at all…"**

Brago smiled a bit,

**"Actually there was a pattern but the purpose was to set you up to expect it…right before I moved in a way that depended on you second guessing me…"**

Mai smiled a bit herself adjusting her position on the large pillow she was cross legged on, **"You made me think too much about the move…"**

Brago nodded leaning back, **"Over thinking can be a bother as well as a precaution…so I see how to make others do it to my advantage."**

Mai, **"I see…in all circumstances?"** she asked.

Brago looked at her sideways,

**"I don't follow ma'am."** He said.

Mai moved her piece deciding which piece she would sacrifice, **"Oh…just, making people think too much about things without them wanting to…or looking like your meaning to…"**

Brago's mouth shut as his eyes returned to board, that was a little prod…did it take or was she that much off the mark?

**"Depends on the circumstance…."** Brago admitted in a very conversational way, and took her piece hostage and replaced it with his own.

Was that an admittance or a dismissal, she couldn't be sure…one thing was for certain whatever this was…game or no game, if it was a game it was working annoyingly well…this was thrice she was finding herself remembering….things…..she thought better left forgotten about.


	27. Chapter 27

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

**Daiken**

Iroh and Zuko rode their ostrich horses across the barren land between the village they'd liberated and the valley leading into the road that would direct them to the Serpents pass.  
They only hoped the steeds they were given were as good as their masters word to get them there before the next boat left. The closer they were to Ba Sing Se, and out of Azula and the Fire Nations gaze, the better…

Zuko was tilting his basket hat more as it began to get a little windy, as well as dark, and the sun was beginning to shine its brightest as it set before them.

Iroh put his hand up to block the sun's rays,

**"Nephew…"** he said, **"Do you think we should set up camp?"**

Zuko grumbled,

**"It'll only delay us more uncle!"** he barked, **"We're trying to make up for lost time as it is!…"**

Zuko had to admit to himself, although it was good he guessed that he and his uncle had decided to step in to help that town….it was seeming it was becoming like an unintentional habit to them…or rather him.

First a town with corrupt soldiers…

Then Mercenaries aboard a ship with that…water bending girl…ugh he couldn't stand her….

Not to mention the children he'd helped rescue apparently…that he hadn't counted on, so many children…

How incredible it was…all those kids who were going back to their fathers who wanted them…children who _had_ their mothers…and didn't have to do a thing other then…be their children to be accepted back.

Iroh smiled to himself, **"Do not feel troubled or guilty for what you did in that village…you witnessed injustice and you felt something should be done about it…"** he consoled.

**"I am NOT guilty…"** Zuko said through his teeth and a little under his breath.

Iroh shook his head, **"So sad that the places around the world share in the same corruption as back home…in so wide a land, it is easier for more of it to slip through the cracks here with no one to lead them or nurture them as a true monarch should…"**

**"Then maybe they should just move over and let us do what we're trying to do by setting up an even firmer one…"** Zuko said looking at the last of the sun.

**"Nephew…"** Iroh said in one of his semi-scolding tones, **"We would be no better than the Earth kingdom is now with neglect and wrong doing…even more that we are even invading their sovereign lands…"**

**"You're saying they don't require solidarity…?"** Zuko asked prodding his ostrich horse along, but Iroh was keeping up.

The old man shook his head,**"I'm saying that switching one over lord with another will not change the circumstances unless the over lord himself changes too…"**

Zuko shut up after this, we was referring to his father who he had so many mixed feelings about himself to go into this would be like pulling out a viper amidst a basket of vipers, all intertwined in one another and tangled, trying not to be bit by a sudden memory or past pain.

Iroh looked on now staying silent, knowing he had struck a blow just by bringing his brother up to the boy, but he needed to see…This war was unjust…so many had been, he was trying to remember when the Fire Nation actually did have an actual righteous crusade.

**"Who was he…."** Zuko suddenly asked. Iroh was surprised, usually after a comment like that, or after clamming up like that Zuko wouldn't say a word for the rest of the day, just stewing in his anger or…whatever mood he was in.

**"Who nephew…?"** he asked looking to the side at him as he rode alongside him.

**"The boy…"** Zuko said still looking straight.

The sun was setting and the light was going down his face like a curtain.

**"The one who could bend the beach….who was he uncle…?"** he asked still.

Iroh shook his head, **"Nephew everything happened so quickly…I didn't have time to personally get you myself…"**

Zuko watched the sun setting before them,

**"You seemed to put a lot of stock in him for a stranger…"** he said.

Iroh sighed, **"He was one who's goals matched that of ours Zuko…a good person. They do exist in this world…like you…who will help those without question because it's who they are…"**

Zuko huffed and prodded his beast onward with squawk mixed with a Naye.

Iroh shook his head, and as the sun light went down his face and he shut his eyes, it was as if darkness was closing them as it touched his eye lids.

Almost a month ago

Iroh walked about the streets of the sea side market place of Shang Bu Lun. It looked as if it would rain today…but being a nautical town…or village, Iroh had have expected it.

He hadn't found anything in the way of a transport to take them to full Moon Bay, they didn't want the trouble of dealing with Fire Nation customs patrol.

Zuko and he had stayed in an Inn so far, it was nice enough but they could only stay another day or so.

Zuko was sleeping at that very moment most likely; it was a very hard walk…

Now if Iroh remembered correctly, he had to cross a long board walk road that went across the water, one that stemmed into different areas to park your boat. After that came another port, and finally, the Inn he and his nephew were staying at.

He knew this was the long way to get there but he was hoping to get a better feel for this town, for the people there, enjoy it…

He offered a smile to a passerby as he milled through the crowds, she didn't return it.  
It didn't seem odd for a gloomy climate such as this; still…he'd always believed and taught that smiles, and thus joy, were like flowers you see in the spring. You didn't always used to see them there and were it not for that one seed of a smile, there would be no smiles on that field later in life.

His son Lu Ten had enjoyed this philosophy whole heartedly but Zuko…well, he still wasn't producing any flowers…or grins…or even smirks…ahhh that boy…so alone….still so alone, it broke his heart more than he could show…but if patience had showed him one thing, it was that the rewards were always sweet, and the penalties for rushing were always dire when staking someone else on it…

Suddenly Iroh's old eye's saw something…it couldn't be…it….it _was_….them.

Iroh's old eyes burned with a fire he hadn't had in a long time….he saw on the neck of a young man…a tattoo, of a skeletal bird with a beak like a curved sword holding an egg. It was the Sea Vulture…the Roto Cun….a clan of thieves and murderers who to this day…scowered the lands for children...specifically to sell and trade on the black market to area's or nations that still allowed it.

It had begun with the coming of the Western Raiders: ships, pirates from the uncharted portions of the map who pillaged and kidnapped children for these means of growing them up to be in the crew or slaves to them…or simply merchandise to the highest bidder in the black markets or main markets…this was back when anti-slavery laws were invoked so…profoundly between Nations…at least in this fashion.

He and Master Piando, and Hun Lee from the Earth Kingdom were in charge of finding and capturing a Sea Vulture Leader once, disguised as the people they would be doing transactions with.

The White Lotus had deemed it necessary to _alleviate_ these menaces before they grew too powerful from their transactions to be engraved in the underbelly of corrupt societies…

They never caught him, but they caught a man who was willing to tell everything he knew and help shut them down.

They were still active Iroh knew but mostly by sea…and nowhere as large as they were before the White Lotus took action against them.

He pushed through the crowd as indiscreetly as possible in case of alerting his interest in the man's direction. The man had a Mohawk and a sleeveless jacket revealing his toned arms. On his waist was thick belt which displayed several knives.

On his arm were several other Tattoo's but none stuck out as much as the Sea Vulture on the back of his neck, Iroh had trained too hard to know its mark on anyone when he was in charge of bringing them down.

So far the man went, he showed no sign he was being followed.

Suddenly, Iroh noticed something, a man…or boy by the height was also on his trail…he could tell by how he walked.  
He had a basket hat on, it covered most of his face from view but he could tell by his own sleeveless tunic that he had dark skin, darker than those in the Southern water tribe at any rate…and was also very fit. Not muscley to the point of being bulky but strong; he was no stranger to lifting it was apparent.

Iroh pulled back a little, and the boy or young man followed the Mohawked man through the crowd, were they somehow contacts?

Suddenly the boy passed by the mohawked man, obviously bumping him but kept going in a completely opposite direction to the left…an obvious drop. He had given him something, otherwise a man of his size and look would have commented on the push…

Suddenly it began to rain…the thunder sounded just as Iroh felt water on his face and bald head, and he put his hood on looking upwards for a split second.

It wasn't immensely cloudy or overcast, just enough that you could expect rain from it, but certainly not a drastic storm thankfully.

He looked back down to see the boy with the basket hat was gone, but he spied the mohawked man slip away behind a store.

Iroh followed as best he could. At second glance, he decided he had been foolish to give so little care as to who the youngster was that had given the Mohawked man the item…it might have been best and easier to question him rather than have to follow this large fellow over town, but now was no time to dwell on it.

He remembered that the Sea Vulture clan was not native to this portion of the Earth Kingdom and hardly any portion of it at all in most regions…why was he here…whatever it was it had to be because of an active transaction.

He also to considered perhaps his old mind was toying with him, after all his nephew WAS waiting for him, and there was a good chance that this man simply got the tattoo for means of intimidation not knowing what it fully meant, there were tattoo's men who knew how to make imitation marks of the clan.

He turned the corner the man had gone around and heard murmuring inside the store.

He could see a window on the side of the shop, boarded but with a crack in it, he peered in,

It was a fishing shop, selling equipment, the man was simply buying rope it looked like…not out of the ordinary but…why go in through the back, and that rope…it was used for….for large fish…very large fish…like a seal bass.

And Iroh remembered, seal basses were roughly the size of a normal sized child…but the rope for them could hold a brute even bigger…Now now Iroh, pull yourself together…this could still be…

But no…this was too fishy…too suspicious, and his famous sixth sense or intuition or whatever it was he had in his bones told him this was rotten. Plus there was the drop from before outside the store, something was up.

His nephew was most likely still asleep, but he wanted him to know that he was going to miss supper likely as not, especially if this evolved into anything.

Wanting not to waist anytime , he rushed from behind the store, and sure enough, there was a lad begging for gold by the corner…he quickly wrote on a piece of paper that he had carried with him in case he wanted to write down a new recipe.

He walked over to small boy and said, **"Son…you seem sad on such a refreshing day…"** the boy looked up at him with one eye, apparently the other one didn't work for it did not meet his gaze like his left one did.

Iroh did not stare but smiled all the more, he also gave a peripheral glance over to the shop which the mohawked man had gone in….he had still not exited it, from the front or back.

Iroh put a coin in the pot the boy was using for begging.

**"Thank you sir…"** the lad said.

Iroh smiled back and put a hand on his should. **"I will give you more if you deliver this message to the young man in this Inn…his name is...Lee, and has a scar on his face..."**

He handed the lad his address written on the recipe paper.

The boy stared at the list apparently not able to read, but smiled giving Iroh the confidence he would do it.

**"Good thing I paid attention to learning how to read...I know this place..."**the boy said.

He rubbed the boy's head and gave him another gold coin still, **"Hurry now…"** he said in the kindest way possible.

The boy leapt up from his street corner and began running down the street towards the Inn Iroh had described.

He would recognize the crest of the Inn if not the written address, and being from there would know where it is…and now…for the mohawked man.

Not a minute too soon for he just noticed the last of him leaving the shop and meshing into the crowds headed towards the docks.

Iroh hurriedly rushed after him, pretending to be an elderly busy-body who wanted to get out of the rain, and waddled about irritably holding his hood over his head, mumbling.

He kept a good distance from the man but kept him in view…he saw him turning a corner and walk off the path right before it lead to the boarded planks which made the paths to the dock's themselves, in his hand he could see a bag, out of which was sticking a childs toy. There was no mistaking.

He was going to where the land was indented and going down in a muddy slope.

If Iroh guessed right he was heading towards the docks as well but to read his note or do whatever transaction came next, underneath them, many a shifty operation was done under the feet of a community whose homes and places of work were built on the water.

The sea hadn't risen with the tide so one could still walk about without getting any more than their feet wet, but they would be more wet as they descended down further underneath where the docks began to branch out to lead to where the boats were towed.

He waited a good minute before following him down, he'd considered falling down, and pretending like he couldn't get up to grab the man, but most likely the man would not help him and just walk away the faster to avoid chance of his face being recognized. He decided he would pretend to be a beggar like the little boy he'd just seen on the street corner and ask for some money for food underneath the docks as if his home was built underneath it.

He quickly went around to the other side of the great board walked avenue's and made sure to know which area the man had chosen to walk in so that when he did climb down he wouldn't have missed him.

Finally he found a ladder on the opposite side and climbed down, then began his act…acting decrepit and senile.

Sure enough the man's silhouette was there….Mohawk and all, splashing through the water that was up to his ankles now, head towards…something.

Iroh kept quiet to see if he would stop, so as to determine whether he was meeting anyone.

Finally the man stopped, he looked both ways and looked at the slip of paper that apparently he'd been handed in the streets.

He re-adjusted the rope he'd bought on his shoulder, tapped his foot in the water, and looked around again…he was obviously waiting for something.

Suddenly Iroh noticed something, there was movement…just slight, but there…on the underside of the docks above the man's head...

Was it a rat…?

Suddenly a dark shape fell on the silhouette of the mohawked man, and there was a scuffle of two bodies and a muffled yell of anger. Someone who had apparently been bracing himself on the underside of the docks had jumped on his shoulders from above, and was now fighting him for whatever reason…

Seeing no need to stay hidden, Iroh sloshed over to the scene. Finally he heard something that sounded like something snapping and an especially loud but muffled roar. With a splash, the man fell in the water limply, and the shape of the smaller man rose off of him then turned his head in Iroh's direction.

Suddenly, Iroh's feet felt stuck in the mud…he couldn't move them…not only that he was sinking, and the sand was pulling him in, not letting him get out. This new comer must be a bender…

He kept up his old man act, **"I-I didn't do anything…"** he stammered, **"I just wanted some money for food that's all…I won't tell anybody…"**

The smaller new comer sloshed over cautiously to Iroh with his arms out, obviously bending the sand around his feet.

…_.come on…just stop sinking me…and let me get close enough to you to catch you off guard…._ Iroh thought.

**"You were following him…"** came a voice that was deep but defiantly not a man's…more like…a young man's if, not a child.

**"Tell me why you were really here and I'll let you out…"** he said as the sand beneath the water they were standing in continued to take Iroh down, he was almost past his shins.

This wasn't good, he of course couldn't state his business if this young man were somehow involved with the Sea Vultures, and soon he'd be in so deep his advantage in any kind of fight would be lost.

Iroh shut his eyes, suddenly he fire bent a flare from his finger tips with snap, not intending to burn him just stun him, and it worked.

His feet could now move freely and he leapt up, knee's to chest, which he knew he would feel later, and landed with both feet on a large elevated rock sticking out of the water, flat enough to for one person to stand on without losing their balance.

He stood ready to throw another fire ball for real just in case…ready for anything.

The young man moved more into the light as he twirled out of his stunned maneuver away from the flame. He raised his fists, oddly in what looked like a Water stance…but it was bending the sand beneath their feet up into columns at his side, swaying like a snakes head, ready to lash out at the old man.

Iroh could see him now with more clarity, and could see that he was the young man who had given the now unconscious mohawked man his note.

His basket hat behind his back now, and he could see his face clearly. It was dark in tone like he'd remembered, with piercing gold eyes…that were and odd shade of gold…yet…almost greenish gold. His hair was very short, and was a unique color of black with almost looked like slivery grey. He had a scar coming from his right jaw to his cheek, and one across his eye that was like slit which he guessed was the claw mark of a beast.

As for his age as Iroh's flame illuminated the underbelly of the docks, he could see he had to be….14…maybe….15? So young….

He could also notice that on one of the fists the young man had out defensively was a tattoo...one of a...oh heavens and spirits…was that really…

**"A man walks on not knowing the purity of white the Lotus bears…"** Iroh said quickly but not loudly before anymore fighting could take place.

The young man's eyes flared for a second, then narrowed his brows, **"Yet when he sees one likened to it, he is indeed wise…?"** he said in his still deep for his age voice.

That was the password, the second portion to it that members of the White Lotus used, and sure enough…the mark that he saw on the young man's neck was none other than the symbol for the White Lotus…how did this young man know it…or bare this tattoo, he could see the same cautious confusion on his face as well.

**"You know of the order…"** he asked again…letting his flames die down this time as a sign of not wanting to fight.

The boy looking around but kept his hands up and the mounds of wet earth behind him as well.

**"Why were you following him…"** he said in a very serious tone.

He still wanted his own question answered.

Iroh felt in his bones he could trust this boy with the truth…he told some of the story.

**"I'm…following this man…who if you know of the order, you'll know of his business. Slaving of children…trafficking, our order used to hunt their clan down and end their charades…he is the first I've seen in over 20 years from their organization…"** he said.

The boy looked at Iroh, studying him he could tell, and Iroh let him.

He sighed again then put his own hands down and allowed the sand mounds to rest beneath the waves again.

**"You're a fire bender…"** he said flatly.

It was starting to rain a bit harder and the rain was dripping through the cracks of the docks more profusely, if anything he was stating the obvious and also stating that he'd again have the upper hand if they fought.

Iroh had no intention of fighting this boy, he was far to intrigued, and tired.

**"And you are a young for baring a White Lotus crest…"** Iroh replied, and in a voice indicating he was no longer on the offensive.

**"You also have very interesting eyes for a Native…"** he said referring to their odd color...someone with Fire Nation in them usually bore the golden eye...but a desert bender?

The boy's face was serious and frowning…he looked like a little adult, and carried himself as one, deciphering whether to continue talking, explain himself, or keep on with his apparent task…he was obviously trying to meet a deadline.

Iroh decided to give the boy a hand,

**"Your desire is to stop these men as well…?"** he asked.

The young man's glance returned to his,

**"With all my heart…"** the boy responded without hesitation.

He walked backwards to the man he had just….had he just killed him? He'd almost forgotten the mohawked man.

**"Yes…I am technically a member of the White Lotus, the last surviving member of the Ra J'inn clan who was part of it…" **the boy said.

Iroh's eyes widened **"You- You wouldn't by any chance know a…Hun Lee….?"**

The boy's eyes grew wider than they had been originally, for until now he had only frowned.

**"He was my grandfather…"** he said, **"Did you know of him?"**

He began dragging the man he'd just…._taken down_ out of the water with him.

**"He was…"** Iroh started, **"…One of the members I was assigned with to take down this organization before…"**

The boy literally dragged the man over his shoulder like a bag through the water by his arm.

Iroh could see the man breathing…so he hadn't killed him, he also saw that his arm was broken from how limp it was…so the boy had rendered him unconscious after breaking his arm….he was certainly...ferocious.

**"You broke his arm…"** Iroh said following him.

The boy's stride didn't falter, **"It was necessary, in the sand lands where I live…one must strike first if it is life or death, and in dealing in the slave underworld I'm sure you know of how life or death their way is. Right now I need his cloak to infiltrate them even further…"**

It made sense now…the Rai J'inn Clan was a fierce clan of sand benders, desert nomads in the waist lands of the Earth Kingdom, once a very established and well known clan that was very large, but dwindled in the years to come from feud.

It was this clan that Hun Lee came from, he never knew he had a son though…much less a grandchild.

**"How well did you know grandfather Hun?"** The boy asked continuing to slosh to the more shallow area of the underdock, and the lighter portion too.

**"He was a great man…."** Iroh said truthfully, **"Often sad but noble and humble, I am honestly surprised he settled down with somebody."**

The boy paused momentarily then kept going as if he'd struck some sort of nerve,

Iroh decided to give one more piece of information before he started demanding answers himself,

**"I am Iroh…did your father or grandfather ever mention me?"**

The boy finally slumped the man off his back and let some Earth he bent hold him up like a coat rack,

**"I did not know my grandfather very well…I was too young at the time of meeting him, however in our culture passing stories on is essential to keeping our way alive, so I know much about him without knowing him personally, but yes I do recall a Fire bending friend being very important to him…and you do seem to fit the description, Iroh."**

Iroh looked at the mohawked and unconscious man get propped up as suddenly the boy ripped the man's coat off.

**"How did he describe me?"** Iroh asked.

The boy perched himself on a rock so that he could be almost eyelevel to the man next to him,

**"Round with kind face, never would fight if he knew there was another option…"** he said looking at the unconscious man as if he was studying him.

Iroh was biting his tongue by not asking what exactly this young man was doing, but he looked as if what he was doing was of dire importance, and if it had something to do with the Sea Vultures he didn't want to disturb his flow.

**"So the title of White Lotus was passed on through his family?..."** Iroh said instead.

**"I thank you for your patience sir…"** the boy responded suddenly, **"But there is no time to waste…I had to improvise by posing as this man's contact….have him meet me underneath this dock so that I could take his place and incapacitate him without being seen. I've been following this man for the past 3 days to help locate a child I've been commissioned to find, kidnapped by Sea Vulture and due to be shipped today…I found out that one of their cruisers would be leaving from this port in 20 minutes…so I acted quickly."**

Although he said this quickly without a pause Iroh took it all in. He had been wondering about that very thing and had figured that this boy had most likely set the mohawked man up…and efficiently to, his mind seemed to work like a steel trap.

The boy suddenly took out a jar of like purple fluid as the color of the tattoo on the man's neck.

**"Yes…the title of White Lotus is much hallowed in my family…it was passed down as no small thing to my father, and lastly to me…"** the boy replied.

He began to paint at an astounding rate on the side of his neck, Iroh stood in awe as he made a believable duplicate of the man's tattoo.

"**You have a keen eye…"** Iroh said.

"**I have a knack of not forgetting things…"** the boy replied.

Iroh sighed, **"20 minutes, and a whole cruiser? As efficient as you seem, it would be against my conscience to allow you to do this alone…is there any way I can help?"**

The boy jumped from the rock and landed in front of Iroh with a splash.

"**You would help me?"** he asked.

Iroh smiled, **"With all my heart."**

The boy smiled, or almost did for the first time since he met the old man, and bowed respectfully.

**"My name is Daiken of the Rai J'inn tribe…and it is my honor to meet another member of the Order of the White Lotus…"**He said.

(For a picture of daiken, Look at my profile wall, there is a link to his picture and what his voice is like.)


	28. Chapter 28

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

The Phantom Treker

The next morning Aang rose up feeling a nudge, he smiled with his eyes still shut, he opened them up to see Katara,

**"Come on Aang…"** she said,

**"It's time to move…."** Aang regarded her with a smile that was bigger…hoping she wouldn't catch on to who he was dreaming about…

**"So did you dream about Appa?"** she asked walking to her own things, it was in a very Girl-ish, double sided manner of asking.

**"Yes…"** Aang said honestly after pausing, then picked up his own things.

Truthfully he was dreaming of him and Ty Lee ON Appa together….with her head on his shoulder...but the dream would be that much more acceptable to her without that tidbit.

Suddenly he felt a hit on his arm that twanged with pain…meaning Toph had punched him walking by…

He turned around to see the rest of the back of Toph's head pass by, **"Bout time you woke up twinkle toes…"**

Aang looked around the corner of the rock wall that hid the tent of the married couple from his view.

Sokka was kneeling down helping the man lift up the sticks for their tent onto the back of their Emu-mule . He also saw just as the beast moved to the side, the dark skinned stranger Daikan helping the woman to her feet.

He was very gruff and hard faced for a kid…he looked more like an adult in a young boy's body, sounded like it to, but seeing his eyes as he helped this woman up, it looked like one of the air bending students helping an older sage up to her feet.

He was if anything glad to see a soft side to this mysterious man, he had that much more of a reason not to for the most part suspect him of taking Appa or betraying them….nothing was going off so far.

**"Toph…"** Aang said lifting his pack onto his pack with the strap over his shoulder, **"You were one of the first to warm up to him…do you think he'd be able to be trusted the rest of the way with us…I mean you're already my earth bending instructor."**

Toph didn't even look at him, which he was used to by now seeing as how she was blind, and she kicked the earth with the ball of her foot making it launch her items into her arms, then slung them onto her back.

**"Seems just like what he says he is…a traveling sand nomad who has no love for the Fire Nation and thinks working with the Avatar to take them down is a sweet deal."**

Aang planted his staff on the ground to take his first step on, **"And he has a cool voice?"** he said quoting her.

Toph ignored this, **"As for the bending….I've yet to see what he can do…or hear it anyway….I'm curious to see what he's got…"**

Aang smiled, **"You want to challenge him don't you…."**

Toph walked along side him, **"I never said that."** She said flatly. Before the grinning Aang could say another word she followed up, **"So how'd affairs go with Katara?"**

Aang winced a bit at this, why did she have to use the word _"affair"_ on top of that.

**"She's…warming up to the idea…."** Aang tried, knowing in the end game it wouldn't fly with Toph.

**"Suuuure."** She said on cue, **"I can't see her face but the way she asked how you dreamt was just dripping with NOT warming up to it…it was like sticking your feet in cold water to fast.."**

Aang had to admit to that.

**"I thought maybe with me being back…or with me getting over Appa a bit better…she'd…"** he started.

Toph put her hand over his chest to stop their walk.

**"You thought what? She'd be happy for you?..."** she asked honestly.

Aang's mouth became a squiggly line, **"Sort of…"** he said.

Toph shook her head, **"Look Twinkle Toes…you really scared us when you went off to long, especially her…if you were trying to make her worry about ya, you did a good job…"**

Aang cut in, **"I'd never..-"** he was cut off himself as Toph continued. **"So anything she wasn't ready to tell or show you she's ready to now….only now your more focused on that loopy Fire girl, and honestly think about it…if she was to ...like say falling for that Prince Zuko guy, would you be all for it cause she TELLS you that it's all fine?"**

Aang honestly reacted before he could think, **"What? But _that guy's_ a bully! He used her necklace against her, nearly killed her, _AND_ her brother and me…how could-"** he caught himself.

**"See?"** Toph said and continued to walk.

He had to think, what was that he felt just now…was it jealousy…was it pure concern for his friend….was it both….was it neither….? Whatever it was it fit the description of what Toph was saying Katara was feeling. Wait…if she…

**"Do you think maybe she?...I mean do you think…now that I'm back she actually…?"** Aang said out loud without meaning to too Toph.

Toph shrugged, **"Don't know."** She said.** "You'll have to ask her…"**

….Was Katara Jealous for Aang…did this mean she actually liked him….the way he had originally….or still did…? That outburst he just had…No he remembered Ty Lee…what she'd been to him how she meant to him still…how he'd promised her….

**"We ready to move out?"** Daikan asked in his even way. Sokka stuffed his maps into his back satchel and pointed towards the road.

**"We are now, better let me and Toph walk in front."**

**"Why's that?"** asked the mother concerned.

**"Toph can see who's a head by her feet and Sokka can look out in the sky for Fire Nation gliders or pigeon hawks."** Aang answered.

**"Lead on then."** Daikan said and tugged at the chain around his waist snugger. The chain was connected to his coma made of what they could tell was some form of bone for the handle wrapped in leather at the handle of it with a metal blade and chain at either end which looped about his waist till it stopped at a link on his belt.

Sokka brought his hood around his face as it was getting windy, and lead the troop down the canyon into the valley with Toph behind him shuffling her feet which everyone was now accustomed to too help her radar sense .

The mother soon to be sat on her Emu-mule and had one hand on her stomach with the other on her husband hand as he pulled the beast along by a rope around its beak nose.

Behind them came Katara and Aang, this was because Aang didn't want to attract much attention to their band being the height and size of the one fitting the avatar's description and Katara being their 2nd heaviest hitter was a good guard for him in case something went awry….although, he wasn't desiring the one on one time as much now….it wasn't that they'd never journeyed without saying two words before, it was just…it had never been this awkward…

* * *

Ty Lee had her chin in her hands as she leaned on the breakfast table with her elbows. She was grinning widely at Mai who was doing her best to not look directly at her. She was very good at ignoring….well to be fair anything, but Ty Lee was an exception to the rule, there was just something about her.

In an annoying way mind you.

**"What?..."** Mai said finally popping a chop stick amount of rice into her mouth.

Ty Lee closed her eyes, grinning wider like a kitten with glee that she had again worn down Mai's defenses…

**"How was your game?"** she asked opening them up again, iris' dilating.

**"Boring."** Mai said a second perhaps after Ty Lee had finished he sentence.

Ty stuck her lip out, upset that Mai had again shot down her attempt at a convo, but of course…like a bouncy perky punching bag, this victory was short lived.

**"Then why'd ya play all night?"** Ty Lee said smiling hugely again.

Mai ate another chopstick portion of her meal, **"Nothing better to do."** She said.

Ty Lee's face was frozen in her overly interested grin which she knew would make Mai break…and then get mad, but it was the cute kind of mad.

**"What you talk about?"** Ty Lee asked leaning more on her knee's for she was on her knees in her seat,

**"Nothing…"** Mai said a bit shorter than usual; she was wearing her down…

Ty Lee piped further, **"Anything about robes?..."** she pressed with a sly look in her eye.

Mai flicked her chopsticks down in a manner that sent some rice into Ty Lee's face making her wrinkle her nose and jolt back.

It looked unintentional but there was no way it could have been especially with how Mai didn't flinch her uncaring expression an inch as she did so.

**"Azula been leaving you alone?"** Mai asked moving to the broth portion with her ladle.

Ty Lee smiled with herself, she had struck home with that comment, Mai commenting about anybody's day meant she was desperate to get off a subject, it was so complicated getting Mai to have an actual conversation with her, but also so fun.

**"Yeah…"** she replied, stirring her own broth, **"Strangely enough. She's got another plan I'm sure…it's the only thing that could distract her from giving us a hard time…"**

Mai pointed her ladle at Ty a_ndd corrected_, **"You mean giving _You_ such a hard time…"**

Ty Lee shrugged, "Wrong place at the wrong time…" she surmised.

**"I guess…"** Mai said in her bored way and began eating her broth gently.

Ty Lee cocked her head, was Mai getting suspicious of her to? That's all she needed…miss hissy face on her left and miss stare at you on her right…

Besides…she'd grown to like it back with them again, she'd be lying if she said she didn't miss them while on that mountain, or even with Aang….she thought…

That and the fact that…other then the interrogation by a particular Fire Nation princess…which had died down recently, they weren't being as…bad as she'd remembered them being on the mountain top.

Had she really exadurated it in her mind due to the desperate circumstances….they were her friends…

**"I really missed you guys…"** she found herself saying out loud.

Mai paused in her sipping from her ladle, then continued after the pause with a sigh. That pause and sigh meant I miss you to in Mai talk, Ty Lee smiled at her….this was going to be tougher then she thought…

* * *

Brago was outside looking at the vast landscape of nothing pass them by, nothing but desert, desert, desert...

He stood on the platform on the roof of the vechile, hands behind his back, his pony tale waving to the right with the wind. He remembered trecking this desert before...not this region of it but the same wilderness. It was when he was an up and coming cadet, and was learning how to ride an ostrich horse for the first time...the first time he'd seen it done was when General Iroh and his son Lu Ten were riding together and saw him sitting by himself. Thats when he became a friend of Lu Ten, and in tern Lu Ten became that of a mentor...up in until he and his father were summoned to helm the breach of Ba Sing Se, the very city he was no approaching. He never returned home, just his helmet and Silver hair peice.

Iroh was different after that, everything was...through him and his son he was able to see, an alternitive to how he knew Father son relationships to be...and in the military to. All he knew from day 1 was he would never have that with his Father, even if he did go into the military, they'd be more likely to counter each other then the enemy.

Well now he would bring this monstrosity down...and he WOULD return home from it...to his Sister...he shook his head...oh why oh why did their mother have to allow herr to...-

**"Luetenant Marshall?"** came the voice of Azula from the right.

Brago's train of thought was interupted..in this case thankfully, he didn't want to think about _that_ right now...

**"Your majesty..."** Brago said in turn standing at attention.

Azula smiled at him for doing so and sort of let the moment simmer...he didn't know why she got such joy from HIM doing what she wanted her to do but...there it was.

She smirked then leaned on the railing looking over the vast desert.

Her smirk didn't go away.

Brago simply stood there wondering when this was going to be over...had she really said that just so that he could stand their uncomfortably while she enjoyed the veiw now, this was just like when they were children...

**"Ma'am..."** he said breaking the silence.

Azula didn't regard but turned her head to indicate she was listening.

**"Is the endevor to your liking ma'am..."** he asked.

Azula smiled, **"As much as ever...in anycase I have a back up plan...as I always do incase your previous suspicions hold out..and your men fail..."**

Brago kept his gaze level,

**"If this machine fails in its purpose...my men will not be accounted for it."** he stated.

**"Thats what I like to hear..."** she smiled.

**"What is this...plan b..."** he asked further.

Azula turned to him and leaned back.

**"Already wanting part...I like that in a soldier..."** she said.

Brago wanted to shake his head but held back the urge.

**"It involves the Kehoshi who have been giving us trouble..."** she went on.

Brago turned now to face the wilderness with her, **"Lowering our sites already your majesty?..."** he asked.

Azula scoffed, **"Don't be daft...of course not...just making them a bit more...covert..."** she said with a sly grin. Then leaned off of the large shaking machines rail. **"And alot more discrete..."**

* * *

In the town of Moi Shai that Zuko and Iroh had just left they day before..a man carrying a bag on his back stepped onto the ground that was different colored this the rest of the earth..marking the begining of the town.

They were busy putting repairs up, fixing things that had apparently been burned, clearing away debris, and herding creatures...

He had on a hood, black and grey, with the design of...what could possibly be described as a whale...his tunic was black as well, with pockets. From said openings hung different kinds of teeth and claws of apparent sea creatures like penguin seals or wallrus bears.

His face was...hard to describe...not really old looking...not very young either...clean shaven, dark eyes, and skin that was either naturally pale or painted that way.

Inside one of the shops was an old man putting some pots and jars on a counter, with him was a small little girl helping him in the process, suddenly she stopped and looked at the door way.

**"Grandpa..."** she said clinging to his coat tale.

The old man looked up to see this stranger in the door way.

**"Can I help you sir..."** he asked not knowing what to make of him.

The man just stood there, not agrresive or intimidating in his stance just...unnerving all the same..

**"Lan Sei go see to your mother huh?"** The olderman said ushering his apparent grand daughter out and into the back. She scurried away, and the man approched.

The older man put his hands bellow the counter, the man stopped, raising his own hands.

**"Forgive me i'm just out of sorts..."** he said in a surprisingly soft tone, **"I know my appearence is...peculiar...but please...i'm a circus performer...I'm looking for two associates of mine..."**

**"Two?"** the old man said, still keeping his hand on his blade underneith the table, it was for cutting box ropes but it was good as any.

The man nodded and now almost smiled, and as he came into the light, almost like a prisem his faciel features nearly changed, no no longer inshrowded by the hood, he looked a bit serious but not intimidating.

It had all been a trick played by how the shadow of his hood made his eyes look...almost like a skull for the darkness of his eyes, which now seemed quite straight forward and benign.

**"Yes...an old man and his young boy...grandson I believe..."** he went on putting his hands down on the counter, they were as bleached as his face, had he ever seen the sun?

The man's eyes flickered for a second, **"Do you mean a boy with a..."** he drug his fingers down his left eye, **"Scar of a flame on his eye...?"**

The new comer's eyes lit up, **"Yes thats them!"** he replied, not raising his voice, but clearly appeased. **"I'm..rather indebted to them you see...I knew the boys grandfather...as well as his brother back when i was in the circus and...well, when I heard he was near by, I had to catch up to him."**

The old man's face changed a bit himself, guessing now the man was simply an albino...he felt rude for staring now, **"Circus folk you say...?"** he asked.

The man nodded smiling.

**"Well i'm sorry for the cold welcome...we've had a bit of a too-do around here since someone tried to force our hands in the elections..."** he apologized, letting go of the blade.

**"Damned poloticians..."** the new comer retorted rolling his eyes and leaning now on the counter.

The old man smiled, **"Yes I have seen these two...sorry, I should have been more welcoming...THEY are why this town is rebuilt as we speak, the men sent here was going to rip up even more of it thens already been done to force our vote..or we'd have physical casualties as well!"**

The man shook his head, **"Devils...what became of them?"**

**"The mercinaries?"** The old man questioned,

**"No my colleague. They interfered?"** the new comer questioned.

The oldman smiled hitting his head, **"Of course...Oh they're quite well...nearly got their limbs torn off trying to save us all...single-handedly fended them all off..sent em packing the rascalls..."** he chuckled.

The new comer just grinned, **"Good to know they can handle themselves..."** he mused. **"So tell me...are they here now?"**

The old man went to get a jar off the ground to put on the counter,** "Oh no...they're gone...we sent them on there way..."**

The man now rose from his lean on the counter, **"Which way...?"** he asked, sounding serious again.

The man put the jar on the shelf to his right, but it wasn't all the way on, it was the top shelf, and he only got half of it on, and was now on his toes to push it the rest of the way on so it wouldn't fall off later.

**"Um...forgive my old age...I dont rightly remember, but I do remember giving them 2 of my sons ostrich horses to send em off on...even gave them some food in their saddle bags with some tea hidden inside...my how that old man loved tea...did he always when you knew hi- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!..."**

The little girl, his granddaughter from before, walked a few minutes later carrying some eggs, it was very humid...

**"Grandpa...Mommy's fine-.." **she said, She looked to the right to see no one in the store...but she did see her grandfather's feet sticking out from behind the store counter...and the tea kettle steaming.

**"GrandPapa?..."** she asked rushing over to the counter dropping an egg. It splattered and she didn't care.

She hurried to the other side of the counter to see her grandfather on the floor and what she saw made he scream dropping all her eggs, shattering as they hit the wood, and her scream began to be joined with the howling of the tea Kettle as water bubbled over.


	29. Chapter 29

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

The Canyon

Daiken trekked across the dry barren land leading to the road that would take them to Full Moon bay.

It had taken them into a canyon pass that Sokka had said would lead them to the Bay before the next morning. Sokka was an oddball, interesting to be keeping company with the Avatar but a good young man, he respected that. Sokka walked a head of the group through the canyon with Momo, Daiken was the second in line, then was Toph and then the couple they were escorting then Aang and Katara.

Daiken had kept his basket hat behind his head now, but still had his scarf over his mouth so you could only see his piercing eyes.

Toph shuffled next to him as time went on.

**"So you're a sand bender…"** Toph said.

Daikan glanced at her, **"I am…"** he said not impolitely but with a hint of wondering what the point was before she said another thing.

Toph liked that, not enough people put emphasis into what they said, it made it easier for her to know what she was dealing with, and it wasn't someone that would be easy to get information out of if he didn't wish to give it.

**"What exactly **_**do**_** you want."** She said flatly answering his blunt question within an answer.

Daiken's piercing eyes scanned the horizon before them, yellow vessels cutting through the sandy air.

**"What your team wants, ultimately…"** he answered. **"I hope that that is sufficient…"**

Toph continued walking at his side at the same pace without it looking like she was taking too big of a stride to keep up with him. **"Not where I come from…"** she said.

**"See...whatever it is you do want, it affects Twinkle-Toes, and if it isn't in a good way…"** she said with a hint of an edge.

The young boy didn't falter his stride but kept walking, but not in a way indicating he'd ignored her.

**"I can assure you, I mean the Avatar no harm…I said I wished to protect him the rest of this way, that is what I wish to do…"** He spoke truthfully; her ears were peeked to find any hint of a lie in his words.

Toph didn't wait for a breath to be taken between her sentence and his,

**"Well what we expect from you…"** she said, **"Is honesty…we have a thing called trust and Katara frankly isn't very happy about handing it out so freely…I can tell when you're lying but I can also tell when your leaving out truth's about yourself, like why your randomly helping the Avatar after just meeting him..."**

Daiken strode on, his cuff which was entwined with leather and the bones of a creature made rustling sounds as he walked.

**"You are very perceptive and your heart is good Toph Be Fong."** He said.

Toph was taken aback a bit, he was wondering at first how he knew to call her that but he may have heard it from Katara who had called her by her full name before.

**"What does that have to do with what I'm saying?"** Toph said.

**"Everything."** He replied.

Suddenly Katara's voice came out over theirs,** "I think we should stop, it looks like your wife's getting a little tired."**

They all stopped and looked at the woman holding her belly while seated atop the Emu-mule. Her husband was holding onto its reigns and putting his other hand on her back to keep her from leaning off too far.

**"I'm fine really…"** she said. **"No need to stop for me it's not that bad."** She urged on. Her plea to go on fell on all their ears with deafness.

**"You know I think we should wait a while…"** Sokka said, **"A lot of us are getting tired.**"

Katara frowned at him and he quickly changed his stoic expression for a concerned on.

**"Aaand of course we should stop for the baby too!"** He added.

The canyon they were in was for a moment shielding the sun from their eyes, so they could wait in the shade, and the wind wasn't so strong as to blow a great deal of sand into their eyes.

Daiken laid his back against the wall of the canyon and slid down it putting his arms up on his knees and crossed them.

Toph sat next to him, but first built a rock formation out of the ground with her fist to sit on so she wouldn't be looking up at him. He smirked at this briefly.

Toph spoke up again:**"Listen I could pretty much care less about what you think of my heart or me…what I care about is if I have to pummel you into next week or not for making me regret putting in a good word for you. It would save me a lot of trouble to know that up front…"**

Daiken simply looked at her and even though she couldn't see it he smiled at her.

**"Yes ma'am…"** he said returning his gaze to the opposite wall.

Toph was about to say something else a bit more abrasive to get him to give an actual answer but he interrupted her.

**"I had a feeling this would come down, honestly I was wondering when you all would give me the 3rd degree again."** He said. **"But I wanted to make sure that you were careful about who trusted."**

Toph folded her own arms and waited for an expansion.

**"So, the real reason in fact that I'm going out of my way to assist you all…" **he stared.

Toph's ears perked, **"Yes…?"** she asked.

**"Fulfilling prophecy."** Daiken said looking at the opposite wall.

Toph just nodded slowly **"Oooooooooooooooooooooh"** she said dragging it out to indicate, _"Your one of those are you?"_

Daiken didn't falter but smiled slightly, **"The Avatar…"** he said stoically, **"Will rise and journey to the East to take down the King of Fire. All the worlds will be healed from the inside out…"**

Toph waited for the part she hadn't heard before.

**"And my land needs much healing…from the inside and outside…"** he said seriously, then turned to her now.

**"My home is not what you'd call stable…or comparably safe, no more dangerous than the many other regions of this continent but, constantly at enmity with its self without a single Fire Nation soldier setting foot on our land."**

Toph tapped her fingers slowly on her bare arm, beginning to piece this together.

He went on,  
**"Our tribe doesn't believe in much else these days, not else but that he Avatar will change everything, a myth but a happy myth so that when wanting to wish for a happier world, we have something to hang that possibility on."** He said.

Toph nodded, **"Only now it isn't a myth…"** She said.

Daiken looked at the canyon wall as he went on, **"I will not lie and say that it is merely an act of Good will which causes me to follow you, only that my lands liberation and this feud between our Nation and that of Fire brought to an end. I do not wish for children to grow up as I have had to…"**

Toph could still tell he wasn't revealing everything about his past, although she was becoming more and more reassured that he wasn't a bad egg, and his voice was…kinda cool.

**"You knew that guy…"** she said suddenly remembering.

Daiken didn't look away from the wall again but she went on.

**"The old guy, Zuko's uncle you knew him, I thought I could hear it in your voice, I can hear it now as you talk about the Fire Nation."**

She was saying this in a hushed tone because she knew if she said this aloud, Sokka, Aang and especially Katara would converge on him like he were the Fire Lord himself.

**"And from how he talked to you I could tell that he knew you…"** he replied evenly.

Toph glanced up at him folding her arms more directly,

**"He made me tea…pretty good, we talked, he was a smart guy…he really wants to help his son…what do you have to do with that?"**

Daiken looked down at her knowing she couldn't look back into his eyes.

**"He is a wise man, reminded me of…someone dear to me….who I no longer have around. While he did not make me tea, he did teach me many things…and has helped me if anything understand the importance of unity among our Nations…"**

Toph could hear a bit more of the truth being unveiled, he hadn't wanted to come forward because at the mention of being unctioned to do so by the Princes uncle would through even more suspicion on him.

**"You're a long way from home…"** she said in closing. **"Your family and people must need you…more than us."**

Daiken fell silent the kind of silence you can hear distinctly and distinguish from other forms of silence if you're blind.

This one was remorse, real remorse

**"I…"** he started. **"Would not do nearly as good for my**_** people**_** or what is left of them if I had stayed…seeing the fall of this war will be the real game changer…I want to secure that."**

Toph didn't dig anymore, he had passed her interview for now, she'd get back to this, and still have her eye on him, or ear.

Still, he was showing himself to be less ominous, and less of a threat to them in her mind. She wasn't fool enough to trust him fully or take any chances, however she was now more convinced that he meant the group and more importantly Aang no harm. He reminded her of…a younger…certainly wiser Jet. The way he'd left out "Family" when he spoke of not being of help back home indicated that...he had none left...he was alone, now all he had was this cause, a noble cause, and a reason to be angry and want to help, but he didn't want to help by eradicating the other side. Well…maybe that and the fact that his voice sounded much deeper and slightly more attractive then Jet's.

Aang on the opposite wall further down looked over at Katara who had her hood down over her face. He couldn't tell if she was sleeping. He thought of scooting by her but thought better of it.  
If she were asleep, he didn't want to disturb her, and if she wasn't , the fact that her hood was down and looking away from him must be one of those "hints" Toph had talked about.

He glanced in the other direction to look at Toph and Daiken, talking to each other in soft tones, he could see she was engaging him in a non-hostile manner and he seemed to respond in the like. This gave him a bit more assurance that he was a good bet with them. If Toph, their resident lie detector and people person thought you were alright, odds' were you were.

He looked to his exact right on the rock wall and saw leaned against it was the mother and her husband over her. She was fussing over his fussing on her.

He smiled thinking it was adorable and decided there was no harm in the following.

He stood up and walked over to them.

Everyone instinctually looked up to see where was going then looked back down or at each other again when they saw he was only taking a few steps.

After walking up to the couple he said, **"Excuse me miss…"** politely, she turned to him, **"Hello…"** she said sweetly.

**"Are you feeling alright?"** he asked. She rolled her eyes and looked at him grinning. **"Did my husband cue you to say that?"** she asked.

Aang chuckled, **"No ma'am just wanted to make sure."**

She smiled, **"Thank you very much for escorting us…"** she said.

Aang smiled, **"It's no trouble, have you thought up a name for the baby?"** he asked.

The couple smiled,  
**"Not as yet…"** the mother said, **"We've a while before it's born so we're still mulling it between ourselves…."**

* * *

Miles away in the forests of Wong Pe-Shong,

Nurisai and Mohishi sat perched in the tree's blending in perfectly with the green of the leaves deep colors.

Their Kyoshi paint was the only thing that could remotely make them stand out amongst the darkened tree tops, and even then it was not by much, they were ninja…

**"Do you believe mistress Suki will return soon?"** Mohishi said. Nursia shrugged.

**"She returns when it is time, she knows this better than us…"** she said with conviction.

Mohishi glanced down at the barren road,

**"We've made several hits on the Fire Nations machine runs' so far they haven't found us…even with their flying machines…."** she finished with a sense of foreboding.

**"I know…"**

She felt the hand of Nursia on her shoulder, **"They frighten me as well…"** she sighed.

Mohishi glanced at her friend, **"This is not our war now…the Fire Nation they've taken it, and distorted it and tainted it like they do everything, now we don't even fight men any more we..we fight those things, keeping them inside pulling strings like cowardly puppeteer's!"** she said.

Nursia's look did not try to settle her down, just agree with her, **"I know."** she repeated simply again.

Mohishi settled down, **"Forgive me…"** she said. **"It's just, how do you use a katana to go up against a great…metal cloud…that can steer itself and drop fire on you from the air….with thousands of little machines zooming around like hornets each with a fiery sting?"**

Nursia looked out at the sky that could be seen through the tree's.

**"All we can do…sabotage what we can to keep them from making more…and getting them till there are none left to fly their machines…Lady Suki would say: **_**"every boat needs a helmsmen…and every machine has a man inside …"**_

Mohishi smiled now and added, **"Yes sister, she would also say, **_**"Good thing we're stronger than men then…"**_

Both sisters' giggled.

Suddenly they heard bellow them, a noise of someone coming down the path on two beast of burden.

Fire Nation? They didn't want to take that chance…Nursia picked out her bow, leaping from one branch effortlessly to the other without so much as knocking a leaf off of it and it scarcely rustled.

She saw two men, one elderly, one not as round or old as he, in fact he looked quite young, possibly a grandchild in his teens. They rode atop two Ostrich horses, and both wore basket hats so their faces were concealed. She looked up to Mohishi who had already zipped by a few branches a head with her little mirror to shine at her in case she saw danger when getting a good look at their faces.

She went to one of the vines they had secured already and lowered herself upside down like a spider, just low enough to be below the canopy. Nursia waited, her arrow pointed at the youngest on in case Mohoshi saw something that sparked her suspicion of fowl-play…

* * *

Back in the canyon,

Aang was now sitting across from the couple, he smiled at them, they were adorable.

He saw the husband holding his wife's hand and kiss it gingerly before taking it in both hands. She smiled at him and giggled a bit when he did then put her hand on his cheek.

Then put his hand on her stomach…he smiled at her swollen belly with a warm smile that wasn't filled with more love then he had shown to his wife, it was the same just in a different magnitude, it was one they shared for what miracle was housed inside her.

It was beautiful to watch, there was no other way Aang could describe it.

He remembered when he would often imagine him and Katara sharing those looks…not over a baby of course but over each other.

But now it…was so different…he'd found…no he'd Met a girl…he didn't count on finding her. And this girl had…in that short time, made him feel different…like what he'd felt with Katara yet…not in the same way at all.

Was it like Toph had warned? Was it because she had simply reciprocated his affection to her…no because that would mean his affections were there to start with…

Yet when he saw the look in Katara's eyes, the sadness….those beautiful blue eye's like light reflecting the moon into the water just right…he did feel something….and now it seemed like she actually wanted him this time…

Suddenly Momo broke the silence chirping and yapping and flapping his wings.

Aang looked up to see him alight upon his shoulder and lovingly wrap his tale and body around Aang's neck.

The wind was nearly gone now and did not howl, the sand was now ceasing in picking up, it would be a lot more easy for the mother and wife.

**"The wind's died down."** Katara said standing,** "We should start up again."**

She glanced at the wife and husband, **"IF you're ready to go that is!"** she said apologetically.

The husband and wife both grinned, it amazed her, being out in the middle of nowhere, with total strangers guarding you, being children to them no less, in the middle of a war and they still managed to smile at things…what was inside her was making them _that _happy…

She wondered if those were the same looks her mother and father had before she was born, or that her coming into the world was so wonderful that they could forget about all the tragedy going on around them.

She saw Aang walk up to them as they said it was alright, they were ready to go.

He asked them something and they nodded after chuckling a little and he put his hand on her stomach, his eyes suddenly grew and he looked excitedly up at them then back at her belly.

Momo crawled down his arm in a spiral over and under till he was at his palm and put his own paw on her stomach to, feeling the apparent kick from inside, then whisked back into Aang's collar. The wife laughed but the father was at least glad the creature had retreated.

Katara shook her head. He could be such a child sometimes, still…they were ALL children technically…only he was…one from another few decade's back…or two, or three. And she'd felt such endearment to him…a chance to rectify everything that was done to her people rested in him, but also…she felt…dearly towards him as well…it had come out even more so when he had returned. That stunt he'd pulled by going off by himself had defiantly unearthed anything of substance she had been sitting on all this time.

They all began to move out of the canyon into the open sun lit sky, they could see a range of hills before them, dirt hills, not sandy dunes for once, and over one of the last of them was a more promising and green palm tree lined horizon, indicating the closeness of Full Moon bay. They would make it there by night fall.

Momo suddenly flew from Aang's shirt and soared up high in the air hurriedly. Both she and Aang wondered what the matter was or what he had seen.

Suddenly Momo did a swan dive backwards towards Aang like an arrow and was just missed by a falcon dove, zipping passed where he was in the air.

**"MOMO!"** Aang cried out reaching a hand to his now only pet.

Momo slithered down his sleeve like a fury snake then nuzzled himself in his vest peeking out of his collar quivering.

Aang glared at the bird of prey as it now circled infrom its failed attack.

Katara noticed something at the same time Sokka and Aang did, but before either of the three could say anything, Daiken called out:  
**"Fire Nation! Get back!"**

* * *

(Again references as to the voice of Daiken and what he looks like can be found on my profile in the links i have posted there.)


	30. Chapter 30

**Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee**

Ambush

Katara ran forwards in front of the husband and wife on their Emu-Mule; her head down, her arms outstretched with water already pouring out of her flasks at her hip.

It streamed out with a rush reflecting the light so it looked like sun light shooting out from her sides.

She could see coming over one of the hills were the horned heads of a dozen masked Fire Nation troopers; Serif troopers.

These were Fire Nation Soldiers who were especially trained for broad terrain combat, and there were never few in number…or so Daiken had said. They must have been exiting the desert land as well and they're group had accidently caught up to them.

She whipped her arms furiously at the first Serif trooper she saw, the water curled in the air and lashed out at him grabbing his arm in a painful twist.

Suddenly she saw a glow in the corner of her eye and saw a fire ball coming at her, she used her water bending to block the fire, but had to let go of the first trooper she had ensnared.

This trooper, now freed, attempted to bend at her as well but was blown off of his feet by a gust of wind from the hooded Aang with his staff.

Sokka on the other hand had his weapons out and saw one with a sword coming at them from the right, he lowered his weapon and charged in return.

Their metal clashed and he swung at the soldier's head, the soldier tripped him by sweeping his legs while spinning into his duck, then came back round to bring the sword down on his head.

Sokka blocked it with boomerang and then kicked his chest making him go back, he did a hap-hazard maneuver flipping himself off the ground without using his hands, and it actually worked even though he hadn't tried it before in battle.

But enough time to congratulate himself, he threw his boomerang now at several other soldiers who were now coming on giant lizard beasts, it knocked one of them off their scaly steeds before returning to his hand.

Toph was busy using the dirt beneath their feet to overturn the creatures, although their footing readjusted as was their instinct, so that it wasn't as simple as she had thought it would be.

Suddenly Katara was knocked off her feet by one of the Falcon doves which swooped down and hit her across the face, scratching her cheek a bit.

"Katara!" Aang yelled, then put up a wall of air to defend himself against a fire blast.

Suddenly they heard a growl and Daiken jumped into the fray, his Scarf was now from around his face to reveal his gruff and intense face, and yellowish eyes.

With a flick of his wrists and a fling of his arms, both were extended at his sides, each with one of his comma's out.

He ran head on at one of the Fire Nation troops riding atop a lizard steed.

It snapped at him as he approached, a little surprised at this small two legged being was running AT it.

But as it bit down where it assumed he'd be, he leapt up in the air surprisingly high, placing his foot on top of its snout, then his other stepping down in the same run between its' eyes.

The beast hissed in shock as the desert nomad quite literally ran up its' long face and neck to its arched back to the rider where he sat.

The surprised rider jerked his his shoulders back to throw a fire ball.

But this Sand bender was too fast for he jumped from the run, not losing his footing, flipping over the soldier and clamping his comma's under the soldiers outstretched arms as he tried to fire bend him.

As he came out of his summersault, he used his comma's and momentum to literally throw the Fire Nation trooper OUT of his saddle and over his shoulder to the ground.

This all happened in a time span of a 30 seconds at the most, and those that saw it were stunned.

He grabbed the reigns of the creature as it bucked under him and bellowed down to his comrades bellow him.

"Surround the man and his wife!"

Toph who was closest to them quickly used the earth beneath her feet to slide herself sideways without having to take a step, over to where the frightened couple were on their bleating and bucking Emu-mule.

She quickly formed a rock wall out of the dirt around them to protect them from any debris or flames.

Sokka who was now just staring at Daiken for what he'd just done, finally snapped back to reality and ran at the other lizard beast riding soldier.

He attempted the same by jumping on its nose, but instead the beast just stopped in its tracks letting Sokka run into his snout full force then fall back over.

Sokka groaned as the creature now simply stepped over him to charge Aang.

Aang slammed his staff into the ground, making an earth quaking rift like Toph had showed him, sending rocks in the direction of the beast.

Katara who had come to her feet now, was now using her water to pluck certain troopers off of their feet and then into the trunk of a tree or, into each other, or simply hitting them harder than the fist of a Gorilla-bear could.

Aang was now side by side nearly with Toph and was keeping stray fire balls and earth slabs from getting near the couple.

Suddenly they heard the cry of more lizard creatures coming from their side.

Daiken who had now jumped off the first one, ran towards them to, but this time he was so far within range they simply shot at him with their bending. But he didn't stop his speed.

Instead, he dug his feet into the ground as he ran, kicking dust up, then again making more of a cloud.

Suddenly he dug both his feet into the ground, rearing his body around like in a water bending stance, and rolled his arms up then straightened them in the direction of the lizards…

…which were thrown back, when an entire wall of pebble like, sand-like earth began to swallow them up, while making dust clouds around them.

He spun his body around as he leapt in the air, then landed both his feet into the earth and pivoted his arms into the air at an angle, very similar to a water bending maneuver.

It sent the lizards and their rider's in the cloud careening towards each other or into rock formations.

Toph heard all of this, motion by motion and was frankly stunned, he too did all this in a matter of seconds and was not finished moving, it wasn't that he bent the earth so much as how he bent the ground into smaller sand like particles until he made sand and used the sand as a solid.

Katara was also a little shocked, suddenly she heard above her the same falcon dove and glared upwards at it as it streaked towards her again.

She threw her arm up and a water globule spat at the bird, engulfing it in the water then came down to the ground with clack* as it bounced in what was now ice.

One of the Fire Nations' soldiers on the untouched lizard steed shrieked, "Fanaum!" he called out. Obviously this was the falcon's name.

He jumped off of his beast and assumed a bending stance, the others were still fending off other individual troops so this one was between him and Katara.

Katara put both her hands up in a fluid ring motion, swaying and ready for an attack. The stance of the Fire Bender was direct, ridged and ready for a furious attack, likened to the Fire Nation prince.

Suddenly, he threw a bag of something in the air at her and she used her water bending to catch it with an arm of water, but not before he'd bent a flame at the bag and it burnt through whatever was inside.

As she incased the bag with ice, it suddenly exploded, sending ice fragments everywhere, Katara shielded her eyes so that no chips got in them, but they bounced off of the face mask of the Fire Nation soldier who was now running at her, jump kicking flames with both feet one after the other before setting them down and rapid punching flames at her in the same motion, he was fast.

Katara spun over stepping her feet and making a wall of water put out the flames as they came but she didn't want to use it all up, he was evaporating it to quickly and this air was very dry.

She decided to close the distance and suddenly stepped forward into his attacks, hoping it wasn't too stupid of a move, but enough to throw him off, which it did.

She dodged a fire ball by leaning backwards just in time, and while her body was turned half way around, made the remaining water on her arm harden, then brought her body around full force, arm first against his head.

The Ice-cast on her arm shattered against his helmet, knocking him off his feet and unconscious.

Now there were only perhaps 8 more Fire Nation troops, they had whittled through their numbers more quickly then they'd hoped and they were noticing these children were no ordinary travelers.

Meanwhile Toph and Aang were slowly moving their half dome shield protecting the pregnant couple to the side as to move them out of the fight.

Aang could see Sokka bravely now fighting with several Fire Nation troops who apparently did not bend but had weapons.

He was holding his own but he was leaving himself open more than once, and as good as his luck was, he was to dear a friend to let that be the last insurance.

Before he could speak Toph read his mind saying, "I'm on it Twinkle-Toes, keep them safe!" and ran at the group, leaving Aang and Momo, staff up, to fend off any friendly fire or direct attacks, he could hear the wife breathing hard and the husband saying "It's okay I'm here…I'm here…"

Immediately he thought of how he had said the same to Ty Lee on the mountain when she was in fear of the lightning, she was now in the constant presence of who she really feared, that princess…He hoped that her fear hadn't had time to fester as large as it had when he'd met her.

Toph on the other hand was thinking of the many ways she could dispense of these bozo's.

She could either **A****.** stomp her foot on the ground so that two large slabs came up and punched them both at the guards. **B**. cause them to sink into the ground after she got enough of a feel which land forms lead from her to them. Or **C.** make a rock suit out of the rocks on either side of her and beat them up herself.

She decided on doing all 3.

Before the guards knew what hit them one of them had sunk into a hole up to his chest, while the other one had only enough time to fire blast a rock slab coming right at his head. This gave him only enough see a now rock covered girl with her eyes showing, throwing rapid punches at his chest, gut, and shoulders.

The last thing he remembered was looking up at the sky and seeing the rocks fall off of the little girl as she dusted her hands off, and hear the boy he had been fighting saying: "Hey I had him…!" then it went black.

Daiken who still had his comma's out, twirled them in his hand then threw one…revealing a chain that was linked to the handle of his to something on his belt.

It sped through the air embedding itself in a large rock across from him, and the chain went taught as he pulled it. The Fire Nation soldier on the back of one of the last lizard steeds sped past it, and the soldier was clothes lined.

The moment he hit the ground, the sandy earth swallowed up his ankles and wrists so that he could not get up.

"Bend and you'll never move again…" Daiken said in a low voice but growling enough so that he could hear it. The sand tightened around his wrists to show what he meant by it.

The soldier stopped struggling. Daiken then turned to his comma still embedded in the rock and yanked at it, causing it to burst from the side of the wall and jet to his hand with little shards of rock coming after it.

The soldier stayed VERY still now.

Everyone looked around vigilantly for any more soldiers but saw none, that was the last of them.

Katara looked at her water pouch, she would have to refill it soon. She took a deep sigh and wiped the sweat off her head, she chuckled jokingly, she could always sweat bend.

Aang backed around the rock dome to look at the couple still huddled together inside.

"Are you alright miss?" he asked. "The fight is over."

"I'm fine…" she said breathing a little better, her husband still had his arms around her, using himself as a shield as if he were the dome.

"Darling are you really, how's your…" he began.

"I'm fine Kun Nu…really…" she insisted, "It was just a little startling…"

"Thank you all…!" the father said with heartfelt eyes, "Thank you so much!"

Aang shook his head, "They were after us not you, we should move to get you into a more Earth Kingdom friendly side of the area, then we won't be as much of a danger to you."

Katara rushed to Aang's side to make sure the couple were unharmed. "Are you alright ma'am?" she asked.

"Yes dear thank you…you were all so brave." The woman said, standing up with the help of Aang and her husband.

"YOU were brave honey…." The husband said, and Aang nodded. "Very, this baby

has a very strong mother."

As they stepped around the earth dome, they could see Toph and Daiken putting the last of the soldiers in a mound of earth that they all stuck out of, with their faces and hands' showing.

Toph was on the top of it, creating openings in it for Daiken to throw them into before closing it over them.

She laughed triumphantly and yelled down taunts to the ones that were conscious, Daiken said nothing as he picked one up with his own strength and hands instead of using bending, and side kicked him into the last gap for Toph to ensnare.

Sokka had his sword out and pointed towards their faces as he walked around the mound, making sure none of them tried to pull anything.

The husband put a hand on Aang's shoulder, "We can't thank you enough…" he said, "But….why were they after you?"

Aang was about to say something when Sokka spoke up, "Hey what's this?"

He picked up the Chunk of Ice that the Falcon dove was trapped inside, and its head had completely thawed out by now, although it was still unconscious. He placed the chunk on a rock and hit it with his club making it shatter. The bird flapped its wings in reaction to hitting the warm air, then lay still again breathing fast.

What Sokka had seen, was a little scroll bag tied to its leg, as yet unopened. He opened it carefully as everyone gathered round and even though some of the words' were wetted out, they could make out the image of the drawing of Aang, Katara, and Sokka.

Aang spoke up now, "We have information that will help the Earth King stop the Fire Nation from terrorizing anymore towns…and because of that they want to stop us from reaching Ba Sing-Se."

Katara looked at the little papers, "If these were unread, they probably didn't know it was us…I think the Falcon was on its way to delivering this message to them when we came along. The hawk recognized us and attacked and when they saw us getting ready for a fight, they assumed we were hostile."

"Will you be able to move ma'am?" Aang asked. "I know you just had a scare but the sooner we get to where there are green and gold flags the better."

The husband held his wife's hand, "Maybe after a few minutes…" she said honestly.

* * *

Zuko glanced back at the woods they were just leaving, he felt for sure that they were being watched…but if they were they did not bother them.

"I think we're being followed uncle…" Zuko said.

Iroh seemed unfazed as they road their ostrich horses along, "What do you think we should do about that…?" he mused.

Zuko turned to his uncle "What you're not concerned that someone was watching us?" Zuko asked.

Iroh turned to his nephew with a face that was unaltered by Zuko's mood, "What do you propose we do nephew? Set up camp and wait for them to catch up to us?"

Zuko said nothing and prodded his horse bird on, Iroh shook his head, the glanced back himself at the trees disappearing in the distance.

He saw a painted face watching them go from the tree tops, he saw that the face saw him notice it, seeing what he would do.

He simply tipped his basket hat and continued to ride on.


	31. Chapter 31

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

Gift's of the Past

Brago sharpened his sword in his room, it wasn't very spacious but then again this machine was not built to be a castle on wheels, simply a very very large tank with extra rooms. Only the princesses quarters were meant to be like actual rooms.

He sharpened one blade on his double bladed weapon, then the other. He looked in its reflection and decided it was passable...

* * *

_Suddenly he was back in the Fire Nation, on the balcony of the estate that his family owned._

_Looking at the sword that Lu Ten had given him all those years ago, he was so small. He grinned at it broadly then at the young man._

"Thank you!" _he said gratefully. Lu Ten grinned a bowed to him, Brago eagerly bowed back, then heard footsteps that made his smile vanish. He shut his eyes as he came up out of the bow, not wanting to open them._

"Captain Zhao…" _he heard Lu Ten say,_ "Master Ten…" _he heard his father reply in a tone that wasn't rude, yet dripped with being unpleased._

"Father…" _Brago finally said, opening his eyes. He could see Lu Ten's back now, facing his Father who was looking over his shoulder at him._

"After hearing of Brago's accident…I thought it fitting to give him a suitable weapon to start with." _Lu Ten said._

"Your kindness is too much…" _Zhao started,_

"It comes with the regards of my Father and his Grace…" _Lu Ten added._

_Zhao stopped short, Brago did his best not to smile and thankfully succeeded._

"Son come." _His father said shortly._

_Brago approached obediently._

_Suddenly his sword was taken out of his hand swiftfuly. Brago swallowed his urge to yell_ "Hey!"

_The sword was unsheathed then placed back into its sheath after being twirled around a few times effortlessly through his fingers._

"This is a fine weapon Brago…" _his father said._ "Yes Father…" _Brago replied, making fists behind his back._

"ATTEMPT not to lose it or break it…"_ Zhao said returning it to him unwarmly then faced Lu Ten,_ "What do you say to Master Ten?"

"Thank you sir…" _Brago repeated_.

_Lu Ten bowed to Zhao before he walked off out the door, then Lu Ten turned to Brago who gave him an apologetic smile._

_Lu Ten smiled a smile that let him know it was alright,_ "The best way to get even…is to be the best you can be with that thing…" _he said._

_He picked his helmet off of the table and tucked it under his arm,_ "My Father's friend is Master Piando, the man who instructed me how to use a blade."

_Brago was taken aback, firstly that he was being referred to the great Piando, but secondly that Lu Ten had studied under him._

"But your already a masterful bender!" _he said._

_Lu Ten grinned,_ "I'm not so foolish as to believe that my bending will be the only thing to keep me and the one's I care for safe…don't let anyone.." _he glanced at the_ _door Zhao had walked out of,_ "Tell you different…"

* * *

Suddenly Brago was back in his quarters as he heard a wrapping of metal on his door. He put his sword to the side and stood, "Who is it?" he asked.

"Uh its uh Ty…Ty Lee?" he heard a chipper voice say from the other side.

Brago shut his eyes, regretting the lost chance to pretend he wasn't there.

He was about to say he was just about to get some rest when he heard her say,

"It's about Mai…"

He stopped, and his objection turned into a "Come in…"

Ty Lee entered his room, "Wooooow…" she said wide eyed at the maps, and papers on his wall.

"OOOOH shiny!" she said looking at his newly polished sword.

"Mistress Mai?" Brago asked reminding her of the ploy she'd used to get in.

"OH right." Ty Lee said snapping back, "She's um, kind of confused right now…" she said.

Brago had an…idea…of what that meant but it wasn't very solid so he waited for her to continue.

"Are you confused to?" she asked wondering if that made enough sense, and it did.

Brago sighed,

"I'm…uncertain of some things….a lot of things lately." He admitted. "Why are you talking with me rather than her."

"She won't talk about it…" Ty Lee said leaning against a wall.

"If you had to make a choice…" she went on, looking at the ceiling, "And…you knew going along with it…meant saying goodbye to something you've known your whole life. But you knew it was good for you, would it be selfish?" she asked.

Brago looked cock eyed at her, was she saying Mai would have to give up something if she….

"That's not a lot to go on but I'd say it strongly depends on what it is your thinking of giving up, especially if it's a who…" he replied.

"Well what if it wasn't…working out with this who…" Ty Lee persisted.

Brago saw what she meant, Zuko was the who…the banished Prince was acting like he was actually banished, and in light of the Avatar still being out there. He didn't blame him, he could defiantly relate to being sent on a fool's errand by his father, and to spite him like this was defiantly in his arsenal if the places were switched.

"Then I'd say the choice is ultimately hers…." He said, "She should go with who she knows is best for her…she owes it to herself, that's not selfish. Of course if the other WHO has broken it off first.."

Ty Lee stared at him for a second as if she didn't understand, was she NOT talking about Mai? Suddenly her face changed and she smiled understanding.

"Okay." She said, and turned to leave.

"Is that all?" Brago asked.

"Mhm!" Ty Lee said turning the knob.

"Will you tell her we had this talk?" He asked.

"What talk?" Ty Lee said looking at him and smiling.

Brago smiled back a little, reassured then bowed. "Good Day."

After exiting Brago's quarters, Ty Lee leaned against the door, that wasn't as hard as she'd surmised.

She dearly loved Mai, and now that she was with her again, she never wanted to leave her side, and Azuala too for what it was worth, although with her she had to admit, she was more afraid of what would happen if she didn't love her.

It had been so easy to slink back into the groove of things these past few weeks.

It was only a few days ago when someone had been going on about the Fire Nation histories that she remembered Aang's side of the story…and in doing so remembered Aang as well. Could he have been wrong? He had been there, but he was also frozen in ice…still she couldn't ignore that…everything she'd been brought up to learn was a little…insisting upon itself. And Aang wouldn't lie…she knew that, from how he talked to her, how he defended her, looked at her…kissed her.

Either way she wasn't sure how she'd even execute her plan of looking for him as an excuse to run off with him.

Right now she was in a secret weapon heading straight for Ba Sing Se, and in days, the war may be over…then what? She was still confused, not as confused as she had been before she'd talked to Brago but confused, it seemed like every decision made the other sound more and more wrong, but neither would end in her being happy, or not feeling guilty…


	32. Chapter 32

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

Full-Moon Bay

Toph watched, or listened from afar as Aang and Katara handled the annoying mushy business of goodbyes with the couple they'd escorted to Full Moon Bay.

"We can't thank you enough…" Ming said shaking Aang's hand once again, his name as it turned out was Yhoa.

"No thanks needed really…it was our honor to help, you carry a precious thing within you…" he said looking at Yhoa's wife whose name was Ying.

"Now we are even closer to a chance at another life for our child to grow up in…" she said.

This got Toph to thinking about what the Sand bender had mentioned and leaned off of the boulder she was up against to look for him.

She'd heard him sharpening his tools earlier, and sure enough we was still sitting against one of the rock walls, making sure his comma's were properly sharp.

She walked around to him, arms folded still. He made no indication to stopping what he was doing, just that he acknowledged her.

"Yes?" He asked.

Toph now leaned on the wall that he was sitting up against. "Nice moves…" she said.

"Thank you…" Daiken retorted. "You were quite proficient yourself."

This wasn't as much of a complement as much as a statement, more or less letting on he wanted her to get to the point again.

She found this bluntness amusing, though rather annoying at once…

"Is that the kind of technique you want to be teaching Aang?" she questioned.

Daiken's scraping of his sanding stone against his metal comma blades halted. "Yes, if he so chooses…" he said, then readjusted his hands back into the sanding position.

Toph was about to comment further when he put in, "However you don't have to worry about me undermining what you've already taught him, if what I teach somehow interferes with what you've already built in him, I will stop."

Toph let out a chuckle, "Do you like knowing what I'm going to say before I say it?"

Daiken made a slight shrug before replying, "Not particularly…"

Toph raised an eye brow to this then smirked at the comment.

Had she the ability to see, she would have seen he sort of smiled in return,

"That thing you do…" she went on, "With the bending sand, dust…how do you do that?"

Daiken stood up with his tools at the right amount of sharpness to his liking.

"For that you will have to wait and see…" he said clipping them to his belt.

Toph leaned off the wall, looking up at him now..he was a good few inches above her, nearly a foot, nearly taller than Aang, but not as tall as Katara.

"That style you did…it wasn't rock." She persisted. Daiken folded his arms now, "Your very observant….yes I've had to adapt my style to different forms of fighting and martial arts to make my own. Because the density and fluidity of sand is much likened to water…imitating the water bending style is actually very practical."

Toph smirked again, "Whatever help you can get, I have to say you're using one puny element…"

Daiken tilted his head, she was glad to get a reaction from the boy,

"Puny as say, a whirlwind or a tidal wave or a spark….fires are started by sparks, floods by ripples, and whirlwinds by breezes…If I know my element of earth well enough…I can make it alter forms just as your friend does with water…interchanging it's state from hard to vapor…"

Toph blinked although he couldn't see this,

"So what you break rocks down to their sand like substance and….?"

Daiken nodded, "Yes they are easier for me to manipulate in large groups, they move against each other and with each other as one, it's like having a liquid stone…that's all I was able to bend actually when I was younger and they'd feared something was wrong with me because I could not lift a simple rock, then when I realized it was just a bunched up pile of these little things…." He said sticking his hand out and sand rose up into it from the dust and began trickling down his fingers.

"Then…I was able to focus a bit more…" Perhaps it's how I was born to view rock bending that way. I'm guessing you don't feel the rock like that when you bend?"

Toph scratched the back of her neck,

"I've always seen it as a solid…I mean, it IS a rock…why wouldn't you? Breaking it down into smaller ones to use just seems so…"

Daiken cut her off, "Yet you've seen what it can do…imagine Aang in the Fire Nation, using their desert lands against them, it would be like a water bender in the sea."

Toph nodded a bit,

"Okay Sifu Sandman…" she said, "Let's see what you've got….your officially on board…"

Daiken gave her a look but his exhale was so definite that she could tell the emotion he was exhibiting.

"Sifu what now?"

Toph just smiled, "Get used to it, he'll be calling you that once he knows you're going to instruct him."

* * *

Zuko and Iroh were watching as Full Moon Bay got slowly smaller and smaller as their ferry shipped off.

"Who'd of thought after all these years….I'd be returning to the city of my greatest military disgrace…." Iroh said looking over the side of the ferry.

Zuko was thinking about if he would reply to his uncles' uncannily depressing statement, when Iroh suddenly added.

"AS A TOURIST?" and turned to face his nephew with the biggest cat grin you could imagine for the old man's wide face, and a flower embedded in the basket hat he was wearing.

Zuko rolled his eyes, "Look around…" he said looking at his gourd bowl of eggs and veggitable stew,

"We aren't tourists, uncle, we're REFUGEES." He sneered before gulping down a bit. Then his gag reflex took over half a second before his taste buds alerted him to the mistake of ingesting such a meal, and he spit it all up into the sea over board.

"Bleck!" he spat, "I'm tired of eating this rotten food! Sleeping in the dirt, I'm not a pampered person uncle but I'm tired of living like this!"

Suddenly he heard a voice that sounded…somewhat familiar say, "Oh, aren't we all?"

He turned his head to see, that frilly haired boy who was about his height with the hook swords. The one the Water bending girl had said not to let on they were Fire Nation to. He had the same strand of straw in his mouth that he did when he saw him the first time, still in that half smirk half snarl of a grin.

"Hello again…" he said coming from under a padio portion of the ship. "I had a feeling we'd bump shoulders again…" he said.

"That so…" Zuko said looking out at the water again. The boy leaned over the side of the railing as well, obviously he didn't understand the body language of _"I don't want to talk."_ How did Mai do it?

"The names Jet…" he said looking at his uncle and him. Jet grinned a bit more broadly when Zuko saw he was looking in the direction of his uncle which meant Iroh was probably grinning one of those heartwarming smiles of his to be in total contrast of Zuko's attempt to show they wanted to be alone.

"These are my Freedom Fighter's; Smeller Bee and Longshot…" he said gesturing over his shoulder.

Zuko looked with his peripheral vision at the two he'd seen before with Jet, the boy with the hair nearly as gruff as Jet's with the chalk marks on his face…bit of a girly face for such a stern expression. And then there was the tall one, always sporting his wide brimmed archer's hat made from basket line, and the same hollowing eyes.

He decided not to keep this up and actually turn around half way to at least acknowledge them, perhaps after that they'd _leave._

"I hear that the Captain of this ship is eating like a King while the rest of us live off his scraps…" Jet went on, looking at several of the refugees with children with hungry faces, or just looking mal nourished themselves.

"What kind of a King does he feast like?" Iroh asked suddenly.

"The Happy fat kind." Jet said with contempt. He shouldn't have said that…

Now his uncle's eyes were glassing and his mouth was watering.

"In the name of being old rescuer veterans…" Jet said inching closer on the railing, "What do you say, we go liberate some of the food from that slobs' store room?"

Zuko looked again at his gourd full of…sludge he was sure would kill a fish who tried to eat it if he threw it over board. This guy obviously didn't know who they were still…despite his scar….  
Either way it would be better then listening to his uncle moan on about how wonderful their misfortune was, and his stomach was beginning to grumble in the tone of voice he usually thought in.

He turned around throwing the bowl overboard,

"I'm in…" Zuko said.

* * *

The sliding rock door came down at the end of the tunnel, and the two guards both outside and inside the opening stood aside to let Avatar and his friends pass.

As light poured in from the opening, they could see dozens upon dozens of families and weary travelers seated in random sections of the waiting area of the ticket checker. The Line was the only thing that seemed to stick out, order –wise.

They could hear a gruff, "NEXT!" being spat from the front of the line every time the line shifted.

Katara stepped out into the courtyard, seeing the multitudes of people getting on one of the ships about to depart for Ba Sing Se.

"Wow…" she said putting her hand over her brows to take in all the people on the one boat.

"It's hard to imagine the Fire Nation drove this many people out of their homes…" she said painfully.

"No doubt they hope for a more…protected life within Ba Sing Se…" Daiken said, regarding a mother successfully calming some of her little ones down.

"NEXT!" they heard at the front of the line again, Sokka quickly stood in a spot, "We'd better get our tickets now if we wanna leave before nightfall…" he said.

Aang, Toph, Katara, and Daiken all got in line accordingly. Momo popped his head out of Aang's shirt, then back in again when hearing a Duck billed Grizzly's roar.

"What? Cabbages? Pah! You fool, one Cabbage Slug could contaminate the delicate and perfect ecosystem of Ba Sing Se!" the raspy and irritating and angry sounding voice. "B-but…" a voice frailly protested.

"SECURITY!" the angry female voice came again, suddenly there was gnashing and a gnawing and shredding noise.

They all looked over to see a Duck Billed Grizzly tearing up the last of a cart full of cabbages,

"NOOOOOO THE-The…C-Cabbages!" the man's voice moaned in agony at seeing his apparent means of trade disappear into the ferocious chomps of the large creature.

"NEXT!" The woman growled. Aang and his team looked at each other not sure what to expect.

Daiken for a second thought he saw someone eying their particular group before vanishing amongst the crowds again.

"You see something?" he heard the blind girl Toph ask behind him.

"I'm not sure…" Daiken said honestly.

"WHAT?" they could hear the woman at the desk say, snapping them out of the moment.

"Do you think just because you have a baby you can have whole boat to yourself?" she barked.

They could hear the husband saying, "We never asked for- " before he was again interrupted.

"Two Tickets on Ferry number two! NEXT!" the woman growled, stamping two tickets for the couple.

Aang frowned a bit before stepping up to the desk himself.

"Can I have 5 tickets please?" he asked.

"Passports?" The woman said without even making eye contact with him.

Aang made a face, "I didn't know we needed- "

Now Aang to was cut off

"NO PASSPORTS NO TICKETS!" she said coldly before shuffling through some papers.

Aang got on his toes a little to look in her eyes a little better,

"Ma'am!" he said again a little stronger then last time, "My friends and I are in an urgent hurry…I'm the Avatar and…"

He was once again cut off

"PAH! I see 50 Avatar's a day, and by the way you're going to need a better costume if your going to try pulling off that your him." She hissed.

Aang looked in the direction she gestured to too see many men and even woman dressed as he was in the Air Nomad Gi and tunic, some even with handmade gliders he had to admit were very impressive.

"NEXT!" she growled, glancing back at her files.

"But ma'am!" he protested,

"NEXT!" She boomed, this time leaning over her desk, and Momo shrank behind Aang's head in fear.

Toph rolled up her sleeves and approached the ticket desk, pushing passed Aang.

"Let me handle this…" she said cavalierly.

She suddenly whipped out a certificate or pass or some kind of formal paper, it had a symbol of the Earth Kingdom Embroidered with gold ink, and next to it also in gold was a crest of a winged hog.

Toph stepped up, got on her toes to be able to reach her arm over the desk, and slid the passport in front of the woman's other papers on the desk.

"I am Toph Be Fong and I need 5 tickets…" she said broadly.

The woman's bitter and grumpy expression melted away as her eyes grew in size, she choked

"The Golden crest of the Flying Bore!..." she gasped.

"OH…it is such an honor to serve a member of the Be Fong Family…" she said bowing her head to Toph, who simply leaned against the desk in a very impatient manner.

"Of course it is…" she said, "Now as you can plainly see, I'm blind…and these 4 imbacils are my valets..." she said gesturing towards Aang and his friends who immediately played the part by picking up a parcel of their equipment like servants.

Suddenly Momo popped his head from behind Aang's shoulder,

The woman looked at Momo, "But the animal…" she said hesitantly.

"My seeing eye Lemur!" Toph said exasperatedly as if it was obvious. She outstretched out her arm, putting her other hand on her hip.

Aang quickly whispered to Momo out the side of his mouth so it wouldn't look like he was talking, and Momo immediately flew over to Toph's outstretched arm and alighted on it, wrapping his tale around it.

The woman gulped then looked at the passport.

"Well usually we don't allow for this sort of…" she started, then Toph made a grumbling sound,

"BUT This Passport is _so_ official…I'm sure it's worth at least 4 more tickets for them…"

She stamped Toph's ticket as well as the rest of the groups.

She gulped, "This pass is so official….I'm sure it's worth…at the most…" she stressed, "5 tickets…"

Then promptly stamped 5 passes as quick as a whip and handed them down to Toph who held up a hand looking as if she was going to yawn while waiting, and then snatched them and shoved them into the chest of Daiken who was nearest her.

"Let's GO!" she said impatiently walking by him as Momo flew ahead of her still keeping his tale tightly around her wrist.

After the group had gotten out of site of the ticket area and around a corner, they all began laughing.

"Oh gosh, did you see her face?" Sokka said.

Daiken smiled, "You had me going there Toph Be Fong…"

Aang smiled as well, "Toph doesn't have a bratty bone in her body…she's too-"

Toph interrupted him, "Being a brat is stupid, what do selfish crybaby's who want everyone else to do something for them accomplish in life, it just makes them more needy and pathetic, especially for people who are supposed to care about how they come off to people."

Daiken folded his arms and reflected, "I admit I've never quite understood the concept myself."

Sokka looked at Daiken, "Never run into one before where you come from?"

Daiken looked at Sokka, "We don't have TIME to be bratty in the desert, too much effort is put into staying alive." He said frankly.

Sokka opened his mouth but then shut it again realizing he had no come back or response to that.

Katara looked at her ticket, Toph was handing out the rest of them to each of the team.

"Hard to imagine all it took was a look at a piece of paper with a shiny picture on it for her to give us tickets, she should have been that gracious to the Ying and her husband, she was with child…"

Daiken saw in the corner of his eye, a security lady eyeing them, she was the one he'd thought he'd seen spying them previously.

"She accused them of using her pregnancy as an excuse…" Aang added as they began to walk, "Yet she gave us all tickets for our charade…the worlds a very confusing place sometimes."

Toph shook her head, "Figured that out a looong time ago…and if you're not as confusing as it is, it says you're the one who's got something wrong with it…"

Suddenly before Toph could utter anymore, Daiken grabbed the hand of somebody who apparently was about to grab Sokka by the back of his tunic collar.

This motion however resulted in the person who's arm he'd grabbed to break free and knock his hand away…but was then soon after re-gripped by a firmer hold then before with his left hand as he growled. Instead of attempting to break free of this, the person now struck out at Daikens' shoulder which he only just dodged before returning with a similar strike to the persons face. All this happened under a few seconds.

Aang and the rest of his group made a motion to intervene when Aang noticed her uniform, "Wait she's a security agent Daiken!"

Sure enough, the young woman whom Daiken was scuffling with had on the tunic of a security officer of the dock.

"You're making a big mistake…" the girl said through her teeth while she attempted to both break free from the death grip the Desert Nomad had on her shoulder, while not releasing her own on his wrist.

"Then why was she following us since we came into this bay?" Daiken said, "And why did she just attempt to grab Sokka-?"

Before he could finish, the young woman did a quicker then lightning re-grip grapple which spun herself around and then him in the process, into a more compromising hold making him grunt, the motion also made her hat fall from her head, allowing her chest nut hair to hang to her shoulders.

Sokka's eyes grew at this move and now it was his turn to keep his friends back from assisting Daiken, and just in time for Toph was already creating a mound of Earth out of the hard Rock floor ready to be pelted.

**"Suki?"** he said recognizing her hair, and the move she'd just exicuted.

She turned to Sokka while holding Daiken in her death grip, "Hey…" she said breathlessly.

"SUKI?" Aang and Katara chimed in equal shock.

"Who?" Daiken said looking out the corner of his eye at the rest of the group.

"I told ya you were making a mistake." Suki said, "My fault, I was trying to jump Sokka and surprise him…I'm guessing you're a friend to?"

Daiken glanced at her, "One wishing not to have to resort to a permanent means of getting free…"

Suki glanced at the exposed Comma blade now nearly against her waist. "Sorry." She said smiling now. "I saw, your quick but you wouldn't have had the chance to use that…"

Daiken pulled his arm free of her and rolled his shoulder a few times.

Sokka pushed passed them all, hugging Suki who hugged him back with equal enthusiasm.

"Suki!" he said energetically again.

"Ha-ha, Hey Sokka!" she laughed back "It's so good to see you again!"

Toph folded her arms after allowing the ground block she'd made to melt back into the hard floor.

"Suki it's been too long." Aang said grinning broadly as Momo chirped in approval.

Some guards and refugees who had heard the commotion now looked around the corner to see everything resolved and went on about their bustlings.

Daiken stood over next to Toph "She's a friend huh?" he asked, putting his Comma back on its holster on the back part of his belt.

"Meeh…" Toph said, "You could say that."


	33. Chapter 33

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

Change of Course

Ty Lee returned to her own quarters, opening he door then pulling an extra amount of effort to shut it again. It was bothersome to have to turn a wheel to open and shut your own door but still, it was less awkward then the room Brago had.

Inside were her things, her brush's and picture books, as well as a mirror that hung from a bolt on the wall for her to do her hair, or make up if she had time.

She remembered how Aang had commented on her being beautiful up on the mountain, this was when she had no makeup at her disposal at all…which was why she'd attempted to hide her face from him at blushing so much.

Thinking about this made her smile again, not that she wasn't a smiley person, but when you've seen yourself in the mirror hundreds of times and nearly each time you were smiling, you tend to notice which smiles mean what, and this one was special.

She took her scrunchy off of her pony tail to let it lose at her shoulder, and it all hung free to one side.

She heard a knock, "Hello?" she asked.

"Ty dear." She heard Azula's voice say. Ty Lee saw her smile vanish in the mirror, then she shut her eyes signing.

"Coming…"

She stood up and walked over to the door, you didn't just tell the Fire Nation Princess to let themselves in.

The door was opened with a creak and there was Azula standing there.

"We're nearly at the wall Ty…" she said. "We should reach it within 2 days or less…just wanted you to know personally. I know you've been bored out of your pretty little head these past few days."

Ty Lee leaned against the doorway, "Thanks Azula." She said grinning, somewhat.

"Is there anything else Ty?" Azula asked.

Great, it was getting harder and harder to keep her guard up and her poker face on when Azula was there, which was why she tried sticking to avoiding her.

Ty Lee sighed, "No…I'm fine." She was messing up, if she were fine she'd of been more perky.

Azula smirked, "Ty dear you're not a very good liar."

Oh boy…now what, she'd just come from seeing Brago though…

"It's Brago I guess…" she said.

"Is it?" Azula said in a not buying it sort of way.

While scrambling around looking for something to say, something just blurbed out.

"Do you think anyone will…I don't know…like me for me?" she said.

Azula cocked a brow at her,

"Ugh Ty…listen…you've a great figure, bouncy as anything and a pretty face…you wont be able to throw a stone without hitting a guy that would love to be your beau."

This didn't really answer Ty Lee's question, as it probably would've done before she met Aang but she would go with it now.

"Thanks Azula…" she said.

Azula rolled her eyes, "I know the men…or most of them on this mission aren't what you'd call hunks but don't worry. When this whole things over and more of the young bloods come to help comendeer the city…it'll be different."

Ty Lee shut her eyes smiling largely and nodded, "Yeah your right…" she said giggling.

That was more like the normal her,

"See you Ty…" Azula said walking off, "See you at dinner Azula!" Ty Lee said before shutting the door.

* * *

Back at Full Moon Bay

"So what are you doing here?" Sokka asked.

Suki sat facing them on the railing of the observation platform they were all sitting in.

"I'm helping the refugees get to safety here on the boats before leaving for Ba Sing Se. We want to eventually help fully in the war closer to the wall but for now while we're mobilizing in other areas, I and a few others are helping out on this end in anyway we can."

Katara grinned, "That's awesome Suki." She said.

Suki smiled at Katara and then at Momo who fluttered over to her, she laughed.

"Ha ha…well hello you…didn't think I'd see you for a long time." She said stroking Momo's fur.

"So where's Appa? And why are you all hear? Don't you usually use him to fly you everywhere?" she asked.

Everyone's silence indicated she'd either struck a nerve or said something wrong, or both.

"We lost him…." Aang said, "But we have to keep moving…we have to press on."

"I'm so sorry…" Suki said with sad eyes.

"I'm fine…" Aang said wanting to move on,

Suki scanned the group looking for a way to change the subject, and she found one…in the new face.

"So um…" she said putting some hair behind her ear, "Sorry again about the misunderstanding. Your arm ok?"

Daiken looked at her, "Daiken, and believe me I've had worse, thank you." He said.

Suki sat up a bit, "No thank you. So…how did you fall into Aang's little enterouge Daiken?" she asked glancing at him still.

Toph spoke up before he did, "He's another bending teacher for Aang." Everyone looked at Toph, some because she had actually confirmed her being okay with someone else teaching him the style of Earth.

"So…what will he be teaching Aang then?" Suki asked.

"Sand." Daiken said.

Suki looked funnily at Daiken, "Sand?" she said.

Aang spoke now, "It's sounds weird I know, but this guy can do crazily awesome things with it."

Suki nodded, "Well again sorry and I'm glad that Aang has another friend who's willing to stick his neck out…not a lot of those running around these days."

She turned to Sokka, "And Sokka you've gotten a little bigger since I last saw you." She said smiling in an almost wink.

Sokka beamed, "Oh you know, I do a few chin ups now and then, lift the old tree branch here and there, nothing major…" he said as he flexed.

Katara rolled her eyes and Toph shook her head, Aang just grinned.

"So, is there anything else major that's happened that I should know about?" Suki asked.

Sokka spoke up first, "Oh yeah! Aang went missing for a while and then we tried looking for him and ran into these freedom fighter rogues we'd had a bad spin with, but actually worked together with them to find these missing kid and…"

Both Katara and Aang's eyes grew as any minute he could talk about…the girl…who Aang still wanted in his group when bellow them they heard a cry.

"Excuse me! Please help!"

The group all turned and looked over the railing to see the man and his wife Ying looking up at them, distraught.

"Those men claiming to be baggage checkers were all a bunch of lying thieves!" the man said, they took our money and our passports and belongings!" the husband said.

"And now they're sailing away on that Ferry that just left, and we have no way to continue on or go back…" Ying said putting her hands sadly on her belly.

Aang frowned, "Don't worry, we'll take care of it.

* * *

"NO EXCHANGE!" The woman at the desk barked,

"But Ma'am!" Aang said, "Their tickets were stolen, and they need to get to a hospital of some kind soon, their baby is coming, you must make an exception!"

"NO EXCEPTIONS!" the woman said, "If I started giving out tickets willy nilly, there would be no order, and you know what that means….."

Aang blinked a little and before he could answer she quickly finished; "…NO CIVILIZATION!"

"But we'd just be giving them our tickets!" Aang insisted.

"NO!" the woman growled.

"But!" Aang said,

"NEXT!" The woman said stamping Aang's arrow with her ticket stamper.

Everyone in the group glared at her, and a few moved forward to add on their objections, but they could hear the Duck billed Grizzly's moans to the left, and the movement of other security guards approaching to see what the racket was.

The team subsided, and Aang faced them all getting out of line, "This will take to long to reason with her or get her to give us a lousy pass any other way…so WE'LL escort you through the Serpent's Pass…" he said.


	34. Chapter 34

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

Serpent's Pass

Abandon hope…

That's what it read on the sign post marking the beginning of the Serpent's Pass,

"Oh no…" the woman Ying said, holding her belly, "Hope is all we've managed to salvage."

Her husband put a comforting arm around her and held her hand,

Aang looked at her, "Don't worry ma'am, we'll make sure you and your family make it safely to the gates of Ba Sing Se."

Katara smiled at him, he looked at her and smiled back…briefly then turned his attention towards the winding road before them.

"Let's go." He said digging his staff into the ground to begin their walk onwards.

Sokka tucked his pack firmer over his shoulder, "I thought a name like Serpent's Pass would mean it'd be more, I don't know, windy…and slithery….meh, probably just misnamed it."

"Well let's go!" Suki said.

"Better let me go first!" Sokka said hurriedly, we don't know how stable the path is.

Suki had insisted on coming with the group, and was now in her Kyoshi uniform and make up. Sokka had been very much against her coming because of the danger, but she had pointed out the amount of time she had saved his bacon and how she was highly capable of surviving on her own and how she wanted to spend time with them all after being gone for so long.

"I'm gauging the stability of the rock, let's move people…Ba Sing Se is only beyond this Pass." Aang said.

Katara was glad, Aang was…acting like his old self again, in a sense that he wasn't constantly dreamily thinking about…her…this rescue may have been exactly what the doctor ordered.

Now listen to her…it sounded rather selfish when she came to think about it, so intent on not giving this girl a chance, when the Fire Nation Prince proved himself…at least to an extent….not as bad as she'd thought he was…not good exactly either but…at least not a murdering child abandoner.

Aang wasn't the type to…misjudge character…then again he wasn't exactly the authority on it either.

She just didn't want Aang to get hurt, and him nearly being gone had jostled something in her, something she hadn't counted on either realizing or admitting to herself…she did love Aang.

She'd always…loved him as say a friend or a little brother like Toph had said, but, why else would she be this worked up about this?

* * *

The Foi Tan Woods

Myisho put her bow on her back and landed silently out of the trees onto an ostrich horse that was waiting. It had been covered in cloth that matched the shade of the trees and shadows of the forest.

It cawed in a whinny as it learched its head. Her hands tightened on the reigns making him shush.

"Quite Nalshai" she whispered.

The other ostrich horses looked at her then readied themselves as 2 other Kyoshi warriors dropped down from the trees, landing perfectly on the backs of the feathered beasts.

Myisho looked at the other warriors watching her for the next move, she wasn't used to it. It was always Suki that they looked to for guidance…

"We ride!" she said, "The Fire Nation is occupied with something on the Western side of the Serpents' Pass…we'll have enough time to help the actual soldiers with tactical sabotage of their flying machines."

The girls nodded to their stand in leader and spurred their animals onward after her as she tore through the forest swift as a whip.

Suki had said that her and the other girls would return soon, and she had to admit, getting refugies across the great water to a safer city was just as top priority as sabotaging the enemy.

So why did she feel so nervous….? She didn't know…maybe it was one of those hunches she got. Sometimes they were wrong, sometimes not…but this one told her something terrible was going to happen, and she feared for her lady.

"Are you feeling alright sister?" Shieko asked suddenly.

Myisho glanced to the side of her to see her friend and partner riding alongside her with her large eyed concerned look.

Myisho smiled, "I'm fine thanks…come on, the quicker we get to Len Feng Wu the faster we get to do some actual fighting..and meet actual _young_ soldiers…"

Shieko smiled and prodded her beast to keep up with that of their leader.

As they passed the woods by they came to a more flat landed terrain, only a few tree's lay on either side of them.

Suddenly Myoshi caught someone in the distance, he or she…no deffinatly a he was tall, in a dark blue hood it looked like, and his skin seemed as pale as their painted make up.

She and the other warriors passed him by as he walked, by, and they did, she was able to look at his face for a brief moment. It all seemed to be in slow motion.

In that small glance she could see his eyes, dark green, and…purposed…as if they were lost but, knew what they were there for, so being lost didn't matter. His face wasn't painted, just..very very pale…as if he hadn't seen the sun in a very long time. The look on his face wasn't impolite or anything out of the ordinary, yet his face stuck in her mind as they rode on and left him in their dust, and she couldn't help but look over her shoulder to see if those eye's were watching them still.

Looking over her shoulder she could see only his hooded back and him still plodding along in the direction they'd come from, becoming smaller and smaller. She looked at her Kyoshi sisters and they exchanged looks of knowing what the other was thinking….unnerving…

* * *

Aang and the gang were now walking along the side of the narrow rock wall that spirred up out of the water like several dorsal fins of a panther shark. There was no railing along the side of the path that took them across the side of the mountain wall of rock, so everyone stayed close to the wall.

In case of a fall, Aang, a rock bender went first, then came Katara and Sokka and Suki, then Toph in the middle to sense things head of them and in back. After her came the man and his pregnant wife, and then Daiken taking up the rear.

Suddenly Aang's eyes lit up and he put his hand up, "Shh!" he said.

"What is it?" the wife Ying asked.

"Fire Nation patrol ship…" Daiken said under his breath looking to the side.

There in plain sight in the middle of the water was a single Fire Nation patrolling war ship, it's chimmny's spewing black smoke behind it for a great distance in the directiong they were going. Thankfully they apparently hadn't been spotted by the ships look outs as it ambled along in its current direction.

"See?" Suki said in a hushed voice, "I told you the Fire Nation was patrolling this side of the Pass…they're building something big here…supplying parts and troops…"

Aang looked at Katara, "Air ships?" he guessed. It would make sense, the Air balloons likened to the ones that Sokka and the inventor had come up with were proving to be their worst nightmare. For them to construct a number of these to fly over the wall of Ba Sing Se would be a practical advantage.

The only problem being as Aang pointed out, was that they were still very slow, and vulnerable when in the sky, and ultimately nothing more than a floating transport for troops. The fabled catapults and artillery of Ba Sing Se would pick the large monstrosities out of the sky, and any attempts to drop bombs or troops would be met by shielding and quick retribution to any who parachuted in. Still, there it was, SOMETHING was being constructed on the far side of the wall, and it was important enough to even have surveillance by sea.

The group now tried to very stealthily make their way down the side of the large rock wall without jostling rocks or even making loud noises.

They could see ahead of them on the path was a bend where the road went around a corner and down, where they would be out of sight of the ship, they were almost there.

"WHOA!" came a voice from the back of the group, "NO!" came the scream of the pregnant woman.

Aang, Katara, Suki and the rest turned around to see the wailing husband falling over the side along with the portion of the ledge he was standing on which was no giving way.

The wife edged herself up against the side of the wall as the cracks began reaching her feet too.

Toph quickly made an earth table underneath the man before his decent could pick up more speed and caught him with an OOF!

Daiken however kept the cracks in the path from growing any larger near the wife Ying. Toph slide the table she had made up back to the pathway so he could rejoin his wife on solid ground.

"Thank you!" he said to Toph and the Young nomad.

-SpLASH!-

Daiken's eyes and Toph's expression changed, some of the lose rock caused by the fall had plunged into the sea, leading to more rocks coming lose and falling below them, making even more splashes.

No one moved, looking at the boat to see what it would do.

It continued on its way, without a hitch, wheels in the back still going.

Suddenly there was glow of red coming from its side, a fire ball.

"THEY'VE SPOTTED US!" Sokka said.

True to his word the red glowing ball now lifted up off of the side of the ship in the distance and became bigger as it hurled towards them.

Aang sucked in an enormous amount of air and blew down on the ground, boosting himself off the walk way and over all their heads, he then kicked off of the wall with his air bending sending him catapulting out over the ocean and away from the cliff wall.

He swung his staff/glider like a bat, cracking a hard gust of air against the firry inferno being launched towards his friends.

The swing sent the fire ball back against the Fire Nation ship, making the ship's hull creak and the boat tip a little, but not before a second fire ball was launched from its catapults right past Aang as he made his first swing.

It soared through the air, but not hitting it's desired target along the mountain path. It instead hit the rock wall above them, causing a shower of debris to come crashing down on their heads.

Ying shrieked and buried her face in her husband's arms as he pressed them both against the side of the wall.

Daiken used Earth bending the same way Aang had used air and sent himself upwards over the couples heads, then dug his feet into the sides of the steep wall so that he was now semi-horizontal and bent the rocks out of the way before they could fall on the pregnant couple, and the ones that didn't get caught in his focused he punched and they broke into little fragments.

But that was just on his end, Suki on he other hand had spun back to avoid a large boulder that was coming for her from above. But what she didn't see was another, just as large about to land her right on the head where she was standing now.

Sokka pushed her out of the way, "SUKI MOVE!" he said excitedly, but before the rock could brain _HIM_ instead, Toph caused the wall next to him to jet outwards over him like an umbrella and slide the boulder away from him and into the sea.

Sokka quickly helped Suki up to her feet and rushed her passed Toph,

"Suki you should be more careful you're going to get hurt!" he cautioned.

Toph put a hand on her hip, "No Sokka it's fine, I just saved your life is all…no biggie…" she said to herself.

Suddenly Daiken dropped from the wall he had just been standing in, landing next to her, "Come on!" he said and they both caught up with the rest of the group, making the bend around the corner and out of sight of the ship.

Aang on the other hand was still bombarding the already on burning ship with waves that were not putting out the fires on it, but rather turning it in a direction where it's catapults wouldn't be aimed so candidly at the cliff path.

He then flew his glider back towards the road and disappeared behind the many rocks out of it's range and visibility.

The ship's crew however, were more concerned with abandoning ship then with seeing which way the group had disappeared to.

* * *

The Full Moon Ferry

Late that night, as the moon was coming in and out of visibility behind the clouds, operation liberation was underway. The target; food that wouldn't make you sick, the place; the chef's kitchen aboard the Refugee Ferry heading for Ba Sing Se.

Long Shot and Smeller Bee ran up to the ledge of the second floor of the ship, they both squatted their knee's and put their hands together.

Jet ran towards the two then jumped off of their cupped hands as they boosted him up to the beam ledge. He grabbed onto a higher ledge then that with his hook swords in the same motion, then looped his legs around it like monkey bars and let himself hang upside down, arms outstretched.

It was Zuko's turn to jump off of the hands of Longshot and SmellerBee, only he now grabbed onto Jet's hands and Jet hoisted him up the rest of the way, after which he hoisted himself up after him.

SmellerBee went to join the "old man" Iroh in looking out for guards or passengers.

Zuko and Jet, now on the second level of the ship, slunk quietly along the side of the outerwall of the captains quarters of the ship, staying bellow the windows.

Finally they were at the area where the kitchen was, they could tell by the smell, it was intoxicating. If it was so strung to them, what about the poor souls bellow this level who they knew could smell it through the roof.

Zuko took out a mirror and held it up to scan through the inside of the kitchen through the window. No one was inside.

He nodded to Jet who smirked at him and they both climbed in silently.

There was scores upon scores of food, fruits, vegetables, chickens and clams along the walls and hanging from the ceilings. Fresh stews, being allowed to go cold, gourds, and spices. Zuko could also see a barrel where the "scraps" were most likely kept. He recognized their smell as well….well if it was so "edible" then the Captain and his workmen should have no problem choking the stuff down.

He and Jet quickly began loading as much as they could carry without making a noise into the backs they had had tied around their waists like belts.

Zuko saw a bunch of tea leaves to the side, no, they had to move it wasn't worth it…someone could be coming.

"Come on!" Jet hissed exiting out the window, Zuko quickly went back to the counter, snatched up the tea leaves and headed out as well.

Longshot was pacing bellow, acting like he WASN'T waiting for his signal to fire his arrow to his leader and the scar faced boy.

Suddenly he heard, "Here they come!" from Smellerbee in a hushed voice.

He quickly aimed and fired his arrow at the railing post he had already marked in his head.

A rope went taught between the arrow it was tied to and to the railing beam he was now fastening it's end to.

Zuko and Jet sent the bags full of provisions down first along the zip line, then zip lined themselves down to the second level again.

Zuko quickly cut the rope with his swords making it go limp, and he and Longshot pulled furiously at it to unloop it from the arrow lodged in the flag pole. It shook not wanting to give way, until finally it did and not a moment too soon.

A guard meandered by that portion of the top level, fortunately facing the other direction of their efforts, so he didn't see the last of the rope and arrow go over the edge of the railing back into long shots hand.

The mission was a success.

A few hours later, the group was looking over what was left of their triumphant spoils. They had already first given food to the rest of the refugees bellow and above deck who were starving like themselves.

Surprisingly there were still enough for all of them to share in, as well as a bottle of good drink.

They all toasted with the tea cups that Iroh had leant to the occasion and drank and ate together in a circle, Iroh had tea though…leaving the grape ale to the young ones.

"We actually pulled it off…." Jet said with pride, "Good work everyone…and you, you're not half bad…" he said looking at Zuko who didn't regard him as he bit down into a leg of chicken duck. He simply grunted his thanks to Jet, which didn't phase him in the least. Dam him…he didn't want a friend right now…

"So…SmellerBee…" Iroh said, "That's a very peculiar name for a young man…"

Jet and Longshot winced as if he shouldn't' have said that, and SmellerBee turned slowly to face the old man.

"Maybe it's because I'm not a young man, I'm a GIRL!" she said huffily and stood up before storming off around the corner.

"Oh I see!" Iroh called after her apologetically, "It's a lovely name for a beautiful girl!"

Longshot put a hand on Iroh shoulder as if to say, _"Thank you but let me handle this, it's not your fault."_ Then got up and walked after his offended comrade.

He found her brooding round the corner , arms folded, and looking out at the sea. He got in front of her to block her view of the moon in the water and made her look in his eyes.

She sighed, "Your right Longshot, I should feel confident enough with who I am…no matter what anyone says…I'm sorry."

Longshot nodded to her.

* * *

Back at the Cliffs of Serpents Pass, the Gang was busy making camp under the light of the same moon.

Daiken was setting up his camp by taking the hard rock of where he was standing and making it sandy and soft…then laid on his back shutting his eyes slowly.

Toph was sitting up against a rock, hugging her knees with her face in them. Daiken looked at her then put his hand on the ground. Slowly the rock beneath shifted and became more soft, she opened her eyes and looked up quickly. When she did , he had already reclosed his eyes and had put his hand behind his head.

Toph said nothing, but slouched more on the now more comfy piece of ground.

Aang saw this and smiled, then looked out over the sea, it crashed just loudly enough for him to hear even though it was a good mile or more bellow them on the cliff.

He felt some coming up behind him but didn't bother to see who it was, he knew it was a friend either way.

It was Katara, she sat next to him, and hugged her knee's like him looking out at the moon.

"Pretty…" she said.

Aang grinned "It really is…" Katara nodded.

"You know…Aang…" she started.

Aang shut his eyes waiting for another lecture.

"I think I was wrong before…" she said.

Aangs eyes opened quickly, not knowing if he'd heard right.

She looked at him with genuine eyes, "I'm sorry for…well for being how I was earlier….I should've trusted you…" she said.

Aang grinned at her, "Katara its okay.."

Katara sighed, "I guess I was…a little threatened…" she admitted.

Aang looked at her funnily, "Threatened?" he asked, "Katara you've beaten her before, and that's not even the issue, I told you she wouldn't hurt you now."

Katara shook her head, "No I mean…threatened that…you might want her as a friend more then me…" she said blushing.

Aang looked at her with narrowed brows a bit, "Katara, no one could ever take your place as my friend…"

He stopped himself short, he could see in his eyes what he'd feared and hoped for all this time….she didn't mean…"friend." She meant…

A lump grew in his throat.

Katara said nothing, wondering if she'd done the wrong thing, again.

"But you…" Aang said not even thinking about what he was saying.

Katara shut her eyes looking back over the sea.

Aang stopped again, "Excuse me…" he said…he stood up and walked back taking his glider in hand.

"Aang!" Katara said opening her eyes and standing up after him.

"I'm going to go…scout a bit…goodnight Katara…" he said.

"Aang I…" she was cut off by a gust of wind as he leapt from the cliff side and air blew against her face and her hair and tunic.

Then he was gone again…

WHY DID SHE HAVE TO RUIN EVERYTHING WITH HIM! She buried her face aggregately in her hands, and half hit herself in the head with her knuckles.

Suki watched as Aang moved in front of the moon from the other side of the cliff. He must have be scouting.

She laid out her padded blanket she and the other Kyoshi warriors used to sleep on, put some jars and viles next to it for cleaning up later.

Right when she was about to undo her hair to allow it to hang free, she heard a scamper of feet, and turned to see a wide eyed Sokka running at her full force.

"WAAIIIT!" Sokka cried, flinging his arms towards her.

Sokka looked wide eyed at him then at the surrounding area to see this eminent danger that he saw that she didn't.

Before she could react he had grabbed her by the shoulders and nearly lifted her off the ground in one fell swoop as he moved her to the side behind him.

"YOU CAN'T SET UP CAMP HERE!" he said franticly.

She looked confused him wondering what he was talking about…and if he would put her down…he certainly wasn't joking about those pushups then.

"THIS LEDGE COULD GIVE WAY ANY SECOND ITS TO DANGEROUS TO SLEEP HERE!" he said frowning at the edge…which was a good 2 yards away from where she'd laid down her blanket.

"Sokka!" she said getting down from his arms, although truth be told she sort of liked it, "You've gotta stop worrying about me…I'm fine I- "

"I know I know!...Sokka said backing up and holding his head, "Your perfectly capable of taking care of yourself…and I should stop…"

She put her hand on his shoulder, "I think it's sweet Sokka…" she said, "and I'm grateful you saved me earlier today…but if you- "

"HANG ON!" Sokka said suddenly again standing in front of her with his arms stretched out.

He was glaring down at her sleeping bag.

"What?" she asked startled.

Sokka wiped some apparent sweat off of his forehead, "Nothing…" he said. "Phew…it wasn't a spider..just some blown over twigs…ha ha…"

Suki glared at him shaking her head. He turned to her with one of his huge sheepish grins that slowly began to melt away her frown.

"Sorry…" he said again hanging his head and sitting on a rock.

Suki sighed and sat next to him, "It's a beautiful moon…" she said changing the subject.

"Hmmm?" He said looking up,

"The moon." She repeated, "It's full of life tonight…"

Sokka said nothing, did she say something wrong.

"Yeah…"he finally said, "Yes it is…" Suki scratched behind her ear, "Um…is something wrong, Sokka?" she asked.

"I didn't meant anyth- "

Sokka finally glanced up at her and cut her off, "No no…its not you…it really isn't its…it's me….I've got to deal with this…"

Suki bit her lip shutting her eyes, "Sokka…if you didn't want me along…"

Sokka turned to her fully now putting his hand up, "NO No! I'm glad you're here, being here is the most wonderful thing that's happened this whole adventure but…"

He stopped again, this was so aggravating if it wasn't her then what was it?

"THEN WHAT?" she asked.

Sokka shut his eyes then glanced at the moon again, as if the moon was making him sad.

"A long…a little while ago…someone I cared about…it was my job to protect them…they got caught up in our business with the Fire Nation and…they got hurt and…and now they're gone forever…I don't want that to happen to you Suki…"

Suki looked back at the water, "Oh…." She said.

Sokka sighed again, "It's not your fault at all its…losing someone again…"

Suki put her hand on his shoulder, "You haven't lost me Sokka…and you won't lose me…you saved me remember…You don't think I'm worried about you to?"

"You you are?" Sokka said looking at her with a gapping look of surprise and joy.

Suki rolled her eyes, "I've had to deal in prudence to….I lost someone I cared about…well…they didn't die, they just went away…and it hurt so much, missing him like that." She said looking back over the ocean.

"He was smart…and funny…and brave…" she went on.

"Who is this guy!..." Sokka said standing up, rage in his eyes which were now squinting suspiciously.

"Is he Taller than me!" he said. Suki bit her lip to hide a giggle, and went further, "Nope…" she said, "Bout your hieght…"

Sokka looked dejectedly to the side, "Is he better looking?…I bet…" and his arms went droopy like they did when he felt beat.

Suki stood up hands on her hips, "It **IS** you stupid!" she said laughing a little,

"Ooooh…" Sokka said as if he was actually getting just now, which knowing him he probobly was, he was so cute.

Suki shook her head, "Why ELSE would I have insisted on coming with you guys?"

Sokka looked wide eyed at her and sideways, "You?" he said in disbelief "You were coming…to look out for _me_?"

"Mhm…" Suki said smiling. Sokka blushed which she thought was too adorable.

She took a step forward without thinking about it, hoping afterwards it didn't telegraph to much…

But looking up she saw that it did, Sokka's eyes were every bit as open as they were before and were watching like a deer in the light, wondering what she would do next.

Her heart stopped in her throat, not knowing whether to turn back, or take another bold step. Suddenly Sokka, without changing the look on _his_ face, stepped forwards as well. Her eye brows raised at this and she did the same in response, now a bit closer to him and had to look up at him.

Gradually his gaping eyes settled to more normal eyes and she began to breath, not easily, but at least at all.

She saw him leaning in, and she shut her eyes and allowed her head to move forwards as slowly as his.

She felt a kiss and pressed back against it with her own mouth and felt Sokka's hands on the waist lines of her Kyoshi armor, she responded by slowly putting her hands on his shoulders, then they went around his neck, hugging it.

* * *

Back on the Ferry sailing towards Ba Sing Se, Jet was allowing his food to digest as he leaned back against the wooden walls of the ship, he was facing the old man and his nephew or grandson or whoever the scar faced Ling was to him.

"What a most satisfying meal, I'm sure I speak for the whole crew when I say: thank you both…"

Jet smirked looking out at the night sky, the moon was beginning to disappear behind the coulds, like a wall.

"Yeah, I hear that people eat like this EVERY day in Ba Sing Se…."

The scar faced boy glanced up at Jet, obviously intrigued by that tale.

"Man I can't wait to lay eyes on that wall…" Jet continued, looking at the massive cloud that was reminding him of it.

He saw some recognition in the eyes of the old man, "You ever seen it?" Jet asked.

"Once…" he responded to Jet sadly, "When I was a…different man…"

Jet leaned up, "Hey I've done plenty of things I'm not proud of…but that's why the freedom fighters are heading for the wall…and the new life behind it."

The old man smiled wisely, "I believe in new starts…" he agreed, then looked at Ling, "I believe in second chances…"

His nephew or grandson Ling looked away, he was dealing with a major traumatic issue…Jet could tell….he liked that…he was going for the wall for redefinition to…but he still had a rumbling in him, an earthquake fault in him that needed to be shaken out.

Jet could find a use for that, teach him to channel it into being a freedom fighter. Yes he wanted a new start, but in honesty as a soldier, defending the great wall, he wouldn't cower behind it, he'd protect it…so that no kid would have to go through what he did, or what Ling obviously did.


	35. Chapter 35

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

The Hope before the end

Aang scratched his head, man what an awkward night…first there was…well Katara…telling him she loved him! And then of course he had to…do exactly what she had done to him spontaneously and RAN.

Well technically he flew, and after flying around for a few minutes…wondering if and where he would land…he landed finally on a rock….leaning on which, were Sokka and Suki…making out, to which he then fell off of the rock on shock. Which then lead to him tumbling down the rock till he landed on the sleeping Daiken, who then put him in a choke hold as he woke up, that Toph had to break him out of and explain that he was having a dream…then Katara came around the corner wondering what all the commotion was…to see Toph defending Aang from Daiken…leading to a very near death match between him and Katara…

It was _NOT_ a pleasant night…

"Are you alright…?"

Aang turned around to see Katara walking towards him, Aang rubbed his eyes, this was not his day.

"Hey Katara…" he said smiling. "Yeah I'm um…I'm good…are Ying and her husband alright?"

Katara nodded folding her arms, "Daiken um…says he's sorry for choking you…"

Aang put his hand up, "Katara…I know it was an accident…where is he?" she walked over to him.

"With Toph…she thinks the whole thing is funny." She said smirking a bit. Aang smiled back…then they both looked away at the same time.

"Uh look…" he said. "Katara…I…" Katara put her hand up, "Aang…" she said, "I'm sorry…that was…rash and…and I should have thought of what I was going to say…or said it better…"

Aang shook his head,

"No you did…exactly what I did…"

Katara still looked at the ground, "Not everything…" she said thinking of the kiss.

Aang bit his lip, "And I…"

Once again, Katara interrupted him, "Did exactly what I did…that made you leave the first time. Aang I think all of this, has been my fault."

Aang's jaw set digesting this, she knew he heard her unintentional double meaning. If she hadn't have reacted like she had, he wouldn't' have left and met…Ty.

Katara rubbed her eyes and forehead as the wind blew her hair and dress a little.

"Meaning it's not okay…and I…I've been causing you grief…ever since-"

Aang frowned "Katara, you haven't been causing me grief…" he said putting a hand on her arm, "Never…"

Katara looked up at him and saw his adorable genuine smile, it made her grin too…it made her want to hold him in a big hug.

"We're moving out!" Came Sokka's loud voice, "Ying says she's feeling up to it, and we want to use every second we can to get our plans and her behind that big wall!"

Aang and Katara started coughing and clearing their throats at the same time saying "Coming!" at once.

* * *

Brago climbed up the ladder of the great Drill and came closer to the hatch. He wiped some sweat out of his eye as he approached the big metal door wheel.

He put his hand on the knob and turned the wheel to the right and pushed. Suddenly sunlight poured in from outside.

The light was in Brago's eyes as he opened the hatch to the roof of his families house.

_-FLASH BACK-_

"Brago! Keep moving! I want to see!" came the high squealing voice of his new step sister Clera.

The young Brago laughed and climbed all the way up and out, using one hand to shield the light from his eyes.

The wind began to pick up once his face hit the open air and blew some of it in his eyes.

He turned around knelt down, extending his hand to Clera, and he saw her small white hand take it.

He helped her up gingerly and the rest of her came out and up onto the roof. Like with his, the wind immediately picked her long blonde hair, it was as golden as her eyes. She was Cretian (Cray-tee-an), a race of people living on one of the Islands colonized by the Fire Nation early on, their people had blonde straight hair typically, along with sharing the golden eyes the Fire Nation always had. Mostly because of integration, many had more sandy blonde then pure blonde like hers but she was a rarity.

On her first day of school at the Fire Nation Academy she was teased for having such a unique color of hair. Brago at first didn't regard this with anything aside from telling her to pay them no heed, until he saw some boys sitting behind her about to dip her long hair in ink.

The boys were sent to the Academy Nurse and Brago and Clera were sent home, but as best of friends. Since then Clera stuck to his side like a Kangaroo pup to its mother…which..he was seeing the downsides of…a lot more. Still she was the one person who could make him genuinely smile, that was also a kid.

The both of them walked now to the edge of the roof, and looked at the sun setting,

"See? I told you...is it as beautiful as the sunsets in Thaises?" (Thay-see's)

She leaned on the railing letting the wind play with her hair, "No…" she said politely. Brago looked at her without turning his head, "Oh really?"

"It's in its own league, homes sunsets will always be unparalleled, but so will this one." Clera said.

Brago looked back at the last of the sun setting over the valley bellow them, "Good to know we meet your criteria."

Clera looked at him now, "It will be unparelled because I never had a brother to watch them with." She said smiling.

He glanced at her now and couldn't help but smile back at that bright little face…and that was the bait…

Needing no further confirmation then his returned grin, she immediately grasped onto him in a humongous hug.

He shut his eyes as she did and shook his head, hugging her back, and chuckling to himself…in his head.

"Children?" came the voice of Tiya, their servant from the opening on the roof. "Your father wishes to see you…"

Brago's smile turned to a straight line again and his eyes opened as he breathed out slowly.

"We'll be right down Tiya…" Brago said taking his arms from around his step sister.

"Come on…" he said looking down at her, then saw something in her face, it was how he had looked when he saw himself in the mirror when his father had been the way he was to him…when he was her age. The look he vowed never to let him see again, so afraid, afraid and alone. But seeing that look on her innocent face was somehow even more unacceptable.

"It's alright…" he found himself saying, "If anything's the matter I'll say it was me…" she looked up at him nodded slowly, thanking him with a small smile.

He began walking back to the hatch and ladder leading back down to the rooms, then felt her hand squeezing his as she took it suddenly. He held it back, he wouldn't let her brave their father the way he had had to…

Brago blinked his eyes as the desert sun hit them, shaking his head from the flash back.

As his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see it, a thin line in the distance, the great wall of Ba Sing Se…

* * *

Back at the Serpents Pass

"Aang…" came a voice from behind Aang, he recognized it as Daiken's.

"Hi Daiken…" he said turning to see the young sand nomad run up alongside him.

He was about to say there was no need to apologize again, but he was beaten to it.

"I would like to apologize for the event last night…" Daiken said.

Aang looked at his usually grim face but saw genuineness in it of one who was truly sorry,

"Like I said…" Aang replied laughing, "It's alright, and I thank you for looking out for our group like this."

Daiken glanced at him as they walked, Aang continued.

"Toph told me about how you came up, and why you want to journey with us…"

Daiken looked at him, "What you fight for is dear to me, it would be my honor to see it through with you…I wish to also thank you for your trust."

Aang kept walking, "Well…I trust Toph's instincts…" he said.

"And what do your own tell you, Avatar?" Daiken asked.

Aang shook his head, "Please, just Aang. And they say that there's no reason not to trust you now…"

Daiken continued looking at him, "But your still having doubts…" he said.

Aang looked at him, "Daiken when I said I trusted you, I meant it." He said seriously.

Daiken's piecing look didn't falter, "Maybe not about me, but something…I can hear it in your voice like I can sense it on you…"

Aang raised his brows, "Sense?..."

Daiken looked over the horizon again, "We Desert Nomads are taught early on to feel with our sixth sense, it's what you as Avatar transcend to go into your vision walks…"

Aang's eyes were open with curiosity, "Spirit walks…" he said excitedly,

Daiken nodded, "We obviously cannot go that far, only you can reach that realm…but we do concentrate to be more in touch with ourselves. To know our own hearts…think with our instincts."

Aang nodded, "Meditation, that's what we learn at the ancient temples!" he said amused.

Daiken's face changed a tad.

"Where I live…" he said, "It's more for survival than anything else…when we get that gut feeling….to know if something is not right…it can often mean life or death…"

Aang nodded looking at the road again, recalling his run ins with Ty..and how his gut feelings with her had meant life or death…for the both of them, and if he hadn't listened to them, he wouldn't have been able to reach out like he had, and realized he…cared for her...so so much…"

"I do not know what clouds your heart now…" Daiken said, "But…as you have the friends…" he said glancing back, "Who are willing to listen, I'd take advantage of that."

Aang bit his lip, not wanting to turn around so he wouldn't risk Katara seeing him do so.

"Oh come on!" came Sokka's annoyed voice.

Aang looked ahead and saw that the road didn't stop…it just continued on right into the ocean, and in the distance, in the the cliffs across from them, they could see a little white line of the road continuing up out of the sea to the rest of the Pass.

Suki rubbed her head,

"I didn't count on the tide coming in so high…"

Aang gripped his staff, "Or just the valley of the road being this low…"

Toph nodded, "Yeah…the ground goes all the way nearly to the ocean floor…." She said shuddering as she shifted her toes feeling the ground.

Sokka began undoing the pack on his back.

"What are you doing?..." Aang asked.

"Well we'd better swim for it!" Sokka said determined, "Days a waste'n."

Katara rolled her eyes and rolled up her sleeves pushing passed Sokka to the front of the group.

"Stay close…" she said seriously, and began moving her arms in a series of Kata like wave motions.

Immediately the water on either side of the road split into two great walls, and Katara began taking large steps down the path as she made the walls higher and higher and further and further forward.

Aang's eyes grew by her fluid mastery and followed after her smiling, "Come people we cant afford to get separated down here!"

He handed his glider staff to Toph who took it without question as she cautiously followed the group down the path that Katara and now Aang were creating.

As they went further down into the water, they could see that Katara and Aang were in fact making an air bubble around everyone and were rolling this ball of air along the sea floor, following the path of course.

Sokka looked in amazement at all the fish swimming by them, a few even stuck their heads momentarily in their air bubble then darted back in the water quicker than a blink.

Momo leapt from Aang's shoulder and flew straight into the water wall to their right. Soon he was joining the fishes in their schools and chasing them in all directions around their air bubble, poking his head in as the fish had done and playing hide and seek with the group.

The pregnant wife and husband laughed a little as they walked steadily, Suki and the husband were holding her hand helping her walk.

Toph on the other hand was walking VERY stiffly, but keeping up with the others.

"Your breath is short, are you alright?" Daiken asked out of the blue.

Toph suddenly darted her head in his direction as if she'd been snapped out of something, or stung by a bee…

"Um! Yeah, I'm fine…I just wish we could move a little FASTER…." She said emphasizing the last part loud enough for Aang and Katara to hear.

_*SQUEEK!*_

Came Momo's startled chirp as he splashed back into their air bubble and curled himself tightly around Aang's neck, quivering with fear.

"What was that?" Sokka asked.

"What was what?" Suki said.

"I saw it too…" Aang said, "..a huge shadow just passed by."

"A bigger fish?" the Husband asked hopefully.

His and everyone's question was answered as the wife suddenly screamed looking to her right.

They all did the same and saw a huge, yellow eye the size of ostrich horse moving in quick motions scanning everyone inside the bubble, were one of them to reach out their hand, they could touch it it was so close...

Suddenly the water began to move around them, and a roar that was muffled by the water…like the sound of a whale call went out. Then without warning, a huge…something, burst through their bubble, followed by a long…long, scaly neck, as thick as 3 trees.

Water poured in rising in their air bubble quicker than anyone could think, anyone but Toph and Daiken who both slammed their feet, or fist on the ground, and the piece of ocean floor everyone was standing on suddenly jetted upwards with them all on it, till they were out in open air on the surface.

They were on a very small island now…looking out wide eyed and shell-shocked at the disturbed water.

"Are you alright Ying?" the husband asked his wife who was gasping and holding her stomach.

"LOOK! THERE!" Sokka said suddenly pointing at what everyone now saw to be a spiny, green, large, dorsal fin of some kind….followed by another….and another….whatever this thing was it had a long body.

Aang and Katara didn't need any cue to keep their hands and fists pointed directly at the moving fins as they circled their island.

It seemed like forever waiting for this…thing to show itself…and when it finally did…they all just stared in terror momentarily

Above them, rearing its head a good 4 or 6 stories above them, was a huge….green, spiny, Sea Serpent, from whose jaws was let out a mighty roar which was no longer muffled by the water so it shook them and their little island to their roots.

* * *

On the Drill

Brago was leaning over the railing as the great wall got closer and closer, his grip tightened on the iron bars.

Suddenly he heard a similar hatch open, and a voice no one could mistake.

"I wanted to see it myself as well…" Azula said coming along side him and leaning over the rail on her elbow.

"In less than a day…the city will be at our mercy…." She said through her teeth as she smiled excitedly.

Brago nodded, not being able to help smile a bit either. "How many hours until we reach drilling distance?" he asked.

"War Minster Qin knows those details soldier…" Azula said as if it was obvious, and slightly playfully.

"But if I could wager a guess, I'd say 4 to5 hours…." She said leaning off the railing, Brago nodded.

"My ground forces will be ready…" he said.

Then his eyes grew as he suddenly felt….what he told himself wasn't...but defiantly _was_….a firm **smack** on his backside as Azula said "They had better be. At ease soldier."

He turned around after blinking once or twice to see the hatch close after Azula, and clank shut.

* * *

"I think I now know why they call it a Serpents pass!" Sokka said pointing with his mouth hanging open.

The benders in the group put themselves in front of the Ying and her husband as the large creature swayed like a cobra, staring down at them with lidless eyes.

"Suki! You know a lot about Sea Snakes, make it go away!" Sokka said.

Suki hit him upside the head, "Just because I live near the Unagi after doesn't mean I'm an expert!"

Sokka hurriedly grabbed Momo off of Katara's shoulder at held him up towards the beast, Momo simply stared up at it with eyes now bigger than they were usually.

"Oh mighty Sea Serpent, we offer you this delicious and tasty sacrifice…thank you."

Katara, Aang and Suki hit him across the head this time,

"SOKKA!" they all scolded.

Momo took the opportunity to leap from Sokka's arms and into Aang's tunic once again through his sleeve.

"I do not know if it is customary to banter whilst facing an easily 90 foot monster, but I think we our time would best be used getting to the opposite shore!" Daiken said hurriedly as he took out his comma's in one swift motion.

The Serpent let out another roar as he did so and learched at them, Daiken jerked his arms up, and some sediment from the rock island they were on leapt up and jolted into its eyes.

The beast shook its head, realling its body and creating a wave, one which Katara kept from crashing down on them to wash them off the island.

Aang slammed his staff against the water and ice stemmed from it going at least a yard or so in the direction of the opposite shore.

"Katara!" Aang said, "Get them the rest of the way across! I'll hold the monster off! Stay close Momo…"

Katara began skating across the ice bridge as she made it larger and larger till it finally reached the place where the pass road came up out of the water to dry land again.

She turned and secured it more than yelled, "HURRY! Make sure you stay on the middle of the path!"

Aang was already in the air, Momo tightly tucked in his shirt, chortling in fear. He buzzed around the head of the large beast making it go in circles trying to bite him, but he was quick like a house fly, ducking and weaving just in time.

A huge wave resulted in their battle and one of them swept the ice bridge, knocking the husband off his footing and he slid down the bridge until he fell off the slide. He furiously flailed his arms but the ropes from the pack on his back hindered him.

"NO!" Ying screamed! Suki had already leapt in the icy cold water and was swimming against the current with unseen strength towards the man, she grabbed him by his collar the moment she reached him and towed him back towards the bridge.

"My arms are caught!" he said coughing.

Suki didn't stagger, "Can't you swim? Kick! That's right…good, just keep kicking I got you!" Sokka looked wide eyed at Suki as she helped him get back to the side of the bridge and Daiken and Sokka helped them back on.

"Oh no!" Katara said, the beast was now it seemed getting used to the patterns in Aangs' flights and was getting closer and closer to biting him with its snapping Jaws.

"Sokka!" she called, "Get the rest of them to the other side, I have to help Aang!" She leapt off of the shore and wizzed by everyone through the water as if she was being propelled.

Sokka snapped to the responsibility, "Okay everyone move move move! Ying Between me and her husband, then Suki and…TOPH? Hurry up!"

He looked back to see Toph still across the ice bridge, standing on their little island.

"Toph we have to move!" Daiken called.

Toph dipped her toe in a puddle of water that was on the ice bridge, then hurriedly put it back on the rock.

"Actually….." she said with nervousness in her voice, "I think I may stay here on my little Island…"

Suddenly the Sea Serpent lashed out of the water near her trying to snap Aang up, Toph made a startled sound that was drowned out by the monsters roar and she hurriedly began making her way across the bridge.

"Ok! I'm coming I'm coming!" she said quivering.

"No Toph wait STOP!" Daiken called, but it was too late, the beast had reared its body up and over the bridged then crashed its full weight down on the bridge making it shatter.

Thankfully everyone on their side including Ying had made it to the opposite shore but Toph was now sputtering and splashing franticly, screaming.

"HELP!" she cried, "I CANT SWIM!" it was apparent to because now only her mouth was above water.

Sokka began hobbling on one foot attempting to take off one of his moccasin boots, "I'm coming Toph!"

Suddenly he was splashed as someone jumped into the water after Toph before he could even get the boot off.

Toph was coughing and thrashing futilely until only her arm was sticking out of the water, everything was cold around her and pressing against her, lighter then rock but nearly as dense from how she couldn't get a foot hold on anything, that she was regretting screaming as she had no reflex to keep the water from getting in her mouth and down her throat.  
All she could hear was low rumbling, it was like being blind without her senses again…

SUDDENLY she felt something, a strong palm caught her bare arm above water and she was hoisted up out of the water and suddenly she could hear the resounding splash of her coming to the surface.

She coughed up a mouth full of water and gasped taking in as much air as she could and wrapped her arms around whoever it was that had rescued her, straddling them like Momo so as not to fall in that watery hell again.

She gasped over and over again, her nose and ears were clogged with water but slowly clearing,

"Sokka! You saved me!" she said remembering hearing his words before she couldn't hear anything under the waves and in the spur of the moment put a kiss on the cheek of….someone who wasn't Sokka…

"I think we should get you to dry land…." Came the voice of Daiken after what seemed like a long pause.

Toph's mouth dropped and she hoped she wasn't blushing, whatever that looked like…

"Hi?..." she said in a voice a bit squeakier than usual.

Feeling his shoulders she could tell it was indeed their tag along Sand Bender who had jumped in after her…and who she had just now kissed.

"Um…it's okay…you can let me drown now…" she said embarresedly, taking this all in.

She heard what she thought was his rough chuckle, and then him saying, "Hold on tightly…" as she felt them both moving through the water in a direction she assumed was shore as his arms moved in stroking motions.

Aang on the other hand was running across the water's surface using air and water bending to keep his feet from sinking as he ran, like a water striding lizard, he was running so fast that his tunic was fluttering from the wind.

He was dragging his staff alongside him through the water, using it as a stirrer to churn the water into a whirlpool around the Sea Serpent. On the other side of the Monster, was Katara doing the same as she used her Water bending to glide along its surface and used the wall of water at her disposal to churn the water on her side of things.

Together they were now successfully spinning the creature around and round as the water it sat in prevented it from moving in either direction.

Finally Aang called out, "NOW!" they had been spinning it away from the group and back towards the shore they had come from near the cliffs. As they stopped mid run, allowing the Serpent to spin off with their moment um, its head came smashing against the broad side of one of the more lower hanging portions of the cliffs, sending bits of rock out from the dent it had made, they could hear the impact.

It then teetered in the water for a while before falling on its side in the water with a thunderous splash, then did not move as it slowly disappeared into the waters murkiness, if it wasn't dead, it wasn't waking up any time soon.

Aang and Katara sped back to the shore that the gang were now safely on and they all cheered as Aang and she landed.

The wife hugged Aang and kissed his forehead "Thank you…thank you so much again for saving our lives!"

"And thank you!" the husband said to Suki, with those bags on my shoulders, I wouldn't have been able to get free before I sunk…" Suki smiled, "…It was no problem."

Sokka scratched his head, they all turned to him, "And thank you…for being our guide through that territory…" the wife Ying said.

"Thank you all…" the husband finished, "If you all hadn't….Ying….YING?" he suddenly interrupted himself as he saw his wife now holding her belly and squinting painfully.

"I think…I think the Baby is coming!" she said through her teeth.

"Oh god…for real this time?" her husband said immediately rushing to her side. She didn't even answer this time but nodded furiously.

"A BABY!" Sokka exclaimed, "We can't have a baby here on the road, can't you…hold it in or something….we're almost to- "

Katara pushed passed him, "Sokka don't be stupid of course she can't, we'll have to have it here….I've helped Gran deliver plenty of babies back home."

"This isn't some penguin seal! This is an actual…living…THING!" Sokka said looking like he was about to faint from the stress.

"It's called a baby, and yes, I have delivered plenty of those to…" she got on her knees in front of Ying without another word, holding the hand that her husband wasn't.

"It's going to be okay…" she said in a quiet soothing voice, then returned to her more stern and commanding one she was using before,

"Toph, I need you to make an earth tent around us, a big one, Sokka I need you to get me warm water and as many towels as we still have left. Suki you with me!"

Everyone was on the move the moment she finished her sentence.

Toph without question built a solid stone tent in an instant around the pregnant couple and Katara. Sokka, Aang and Daiken all scrounged for water and the towels they still had and were now rushing back to Katara.

What seemed like an eternity later, the amount of screaming that had gone on suddenly was exchanged for the single cry of a small fragile voice.

Suki's voice sounded from inside the tent, "Sokka, Aang, everyone come look! Oh she's so beautiful…"

Aang, Daiken, Toph, and Sokka all leaned off of the side of the tent they had been laying against and rushed into the little entrance Toph had made.

Before them lay the tired, and sweaty Ying, still holding her husband's hand which looked red from being held so tightly, but they weren't concentrating on that. Both parents had their loving eyes on the little bundle that Katara had just finished wrapping where the crying was emanating from.

Aang knelt down, "Wow…." He said as Katara turned her momentarily towards him before handing her to her parents.

He was actually feeling his eyes tear up a bit at seeing this brand new life.

"She's breathing well…" Toph said, "I can hear it, her heart too."

"She looks so…squishy…and cute." Sokka said. He turned to his sister, "You did it Katara…"

She smiled and moved some hair out of her face, she was perspiring too.

"You really did…" Aang confirmed, smiling at her warmly. She smiled back, thankful for it.

"Congradulations to you both…" Daiken said smiling almost, which no one could remember seeing him do previous.

Sokka exited the tent looking a little sullen, and Suki pursued him outside,

"What is it? Aren't you happy?" Suki asked.

Sokka just stood there, "Of course…she's born, no thanks to me…" Sokka said.

Suki rolled her eyes, "Sokkaaaa!" she said walking over to him with a hand on her hip.

"Everyone pitched in today, You saved Ying's husband, The new guy saved Toph, Katara helped Aang defeat a sea monster, and then give a baby right after that….all I did was offer up Momo in hopes it would go away…"

Suki turned him to face her and kissed him…which defiantly caught him off guard before he bewilideredly kissed back.

"So? That was one time Sokka, it was a Sea Monster, and you were about to jump in after Toph…I saw, I was about to too but he just jumped in quicker than either of us. It's not a contest…" she said putting her hand on his face.

"I know…" Sokka said, "It's just…I'm the odd guy out, and it shows. Sometimes I wonder even if I had bending if I'd be able to measure up…"

"Sokka…" Suki scolded. He shut up immediately looking at the ground.

"I don't have bending…did I save your lives?" she asked.

"Yes…" Sokka said,

"You don't, and weren't you the one who came up with this plan of bringing down the Fire Nation?" she went on.

"I was…" Sokka said admittedly. He suddenly felt Suki's arm curl around his neck, her other hand still on her hip.

"And aren't you the one who's in love with one of the world's deadliest ninja's?" she said leaning closer smirking.

Sokka smiled back, "Yeah, I got a lot to be thankful for…"

Suki shook her head, "And you DO matter Sokka, we all see it…don't think we don't. I'm sure you'd make your dad proud."

Sokka's smile changed but didn't leave, "Yeah…I hope so…" he said looking to the side at the water behind them.

"Thanks Suki…" He said smiling down at her, then he saw a change in her face. "What?" he asked.

"Sokka um…" she said, "I've…I'm going to be going back to my sisters in the Army…"

Sokka took both her hands, "What?" he said, "For how long?"

She sighed, "I really wish I were going inside the great wall with you, more than anything, but my sisters and I have made a commitment, we have to aid our people in the fight to keep the Fire Nation from endangering even more lives…like that one…" she finished glancing at the tent.

Sokka looked down, "I wish I…could've been better company or…told you more things about…" he felt her gloved finger touch his lips.

"You will, I will see you…I promise. I wasn't actually supposed to make it to the other side of the pass anyway, my Kyoshi sisters are all on this side as well, I just wanted to come along to make sure that you and your friends made it safely…and to see you again."

Sokka smiled a bit, "I can't wait…" he said, putting his hands on her waist.

Just then Aang exited the tent, "Oh sorry…" he said backing up. Sokka and Suki turned to Aang taking their arms from each other.

Suki giggled, "It's alright, I was just telling Sokka goodbye." Aang looked somewhat sideways at her,

"Good bye? But you just got here…er…with us." He said.

"I have to go help the other warriors defend the lands near the wall, and escort more people safely into the city. They say that in a little while they may allow us to have sanctuary inside the inner wall itself."

Aang rubbed the back of his neck and Momo popped out of his tunic collar fluttering over to her and nuzzled her face, she laughed.

"I'll miss you too Momo…" she said rubbing his fur.

Katara came out after that with Daiken, and Toph.

"Did I hear right? Your leaving Suki?" Katara inquired.

"It's only for a little while sis…" Sokka affirmed. Suki looked at him and he grinned at her showing he understood.

"Thank you so much for helping us this far." Katara said smiling warmly.

Suki brushed some hair out of her eye, "It was no trouble really, how is the baby?"

Katara smiled even bigger closing her eyes, "She's beautiful, sleeping now with her mother…"

Aang grinned, "They've named her Hope…" Aang said, "Something very precious, that we should never lose sight of…something that I've had to remember lately…"

Katara's smile changed a bit but Aang as if on cue kept going, "About Appa…who my friends are…" the thought about mentioning Ty but didn't want to ruin it, "Everything…I need get my head on straight." He finshed.

Katara just put a supportive hand on his shoulder, "Do what you have to do Aang…" he grinned at her, "I'm just going to be looking for Appa." He said with honesty, "But thank you Katara…you're an…amazing…friend."

He said the last part as if he was realizing the gravity of it as he said it, he adored her, more then anything, still did, just now…it was…somewhat different, but those old feelings of loving her as something more weren't gone either just…not as strong or dominant as the new ones…the one that burned with hope to see Ty again.

Katara nodded with a mature smile and hugged him tightly, he did the same. He thought he heard her sniffle, but it was simply her inhaling deeply from the moment.

They let go from the embrace and he turned to the group, "I'll be back! Soon…"

He looked at Daiken, "And thank you for saving our friend…your really one of the group now."

Daiken did another half grin which was as good as full grin in his case and he struck his chest with his fist in a salute.

Aang did the same, then unfurled his gliders wings and took his position, Momo quickly crawled back into his tunic with only his tale sticking out.

"Goodbye Aang!" Suki said as he lifted off, and everyone waved.

* * *

The Turtle Tram Station outside of Ba Sing Se

Zuko and Iroh were waiting in the Stone Turtle Tram Station, they had finally shaken that Jet character and his friends, at least in Zuko's mind they had shaken them.

"Not a bad group of lads…" Iroh mused. "Oh and little lady." He added remembering Smellerbee and chuckling to himself.

Zuko just kept his arms folded, looking sternly at nothing in particular, he was feeling..weird lately…he thought it might be that sick feeling you get in the morning that you pray isn't a cold or a fever but has all the signs. However he showed no symptoms the day before or today so he assumed it was just a bug…except…he also could tell it wasn't just a physical sickness he was still confused inside, and the more he tried to ignore it…the more strongly it would seem to return.

"What did you think of them Nephew?" Iroh said. Zuko grumbled, "Bah!" he said.

"I don't think of them, I wasn't thinking about them till you brought them up, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night getting food for half the passengers on board, I'm just trying to rest a bit while we wait for our train…"

He shifted in his seat to face away from his uncle.

Iroh just smiled looking at all the people bustling about, he thought for a second he saw the boy he had encountered in that little rainy village…the one who bent sand, but it wasn't him, just darkly complected like him.

Glancing up he suddenly noticed, "Oh look there they are again!" Iroh said animatedly as Jet and the Freedom fighters came into view.

Zuko mumbled something Iroh was sure was a curse, then sat up.

_"GET YOUR HOT FRESH TEA, GET YOUR STEAMING DELICIOUS TEA!"_ came the call of a vender pushing his cart around the Tram station.

"I'll let you catch up…" Iroh said patting Zuko's arm, "Excuse me sir!" he said getting up, "I'll see what your selling!"

Zuko was sure he heard something crackle as he turned his head in frustration as every attempt to too keep to himself was now dashed.

"Hey." Jet said with that crooked smile of his, the quiet one and the short feisty guy, er, girl rather weren't far behind him.

"Hi…" Zuko said making eye contact with them.

"Listen…" Jet started, "We've been talking and…well what you did back there, helping us help those people…we like what we saw, we'd like you to throw in with us."

Zuko raised a brow, "But…me and my-" he started, but Jet cut him off.

"Your Uncle too, we never leave one of our own or their family, it's how the freedom fighters work."

He looked over Zuko's shoulder at Iroh spitting a bit after taking a sip of the Tea from the vender which was either cold or nasty by the look on his face.

"Besides…" Jet went on, "I can tell there's something inside of you that won't keep still. Your uncle can live safely once inside the walls, but you won't be able to settle down not till something is taken care of, I can see it in you."

Zuko would've been rude if what he said hadn't hit home in a sense, but he shook it off and simply replied.

"Thanks but…I really don't think I want to do anything like that, I'm trying to see what else is inside of me."

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at his uncle looking discontented at his tea, he would have returned his glance to the 3 kids if he didn't notice Iroh's smile return as the Tea cup began to steam.

A lump formed in his throat. Suddenly the train whistle blew, thank the spirits.

"We have to go…" Zuko said turning and walking towards his uncle not trying to look like he was hurrying.

"HEY!" Iroh said as Zuko grabbed his arm and hurried him towards one of the cars, making him drop the tea.

"Fire bending your tea?" Zuko growled through his teeth, "Not a very smart move for an experienced old man don't you think?"

As the doors to the train shut, Jet stood over the Tea on the ground, looking at its foggy reflection, foggy because it was steaming…he made fists and glared at the last of the Stone Tram car as it sped down the tunnel.

* * *

Aang piloted his glider up and over the clouds, as he pierced their fluffy canopy he could see something brownish, it was the great wall of Ba Sing Se…his friends and he were closer than he had thought, they would make it inside before night fall as opposed to the next day like they'd assumed.

"Whoa!" Aang said flying closer to it.

Momo stuck his head out of Aangs collar, then crawled out holding tightly to him by his tale and little paws to feel the wind as they soared over the surface of the huge structure.

They passed by a huge, green and golden flag that hung from the wall, with the words **_BA SING SE_** in it next to their National crest.

Finally they came to the top of the wall, they didn't even fly upwards from the bottom, they were near the middle of it when they started to ascend, it was truly massive.

As he landed on the walls edge, he could see it was not only massive going up and down, but going around, it was as if half of the Earth Kingdom were behind the wall or even the world considering how it nearly looked like it disappeared in the distance.

Behind him were all the villages, cities, and towns, and super cities of Ba Sing Se, as if an additional nation existed behind the wall.

Suddenly Momo chirped in Alarm, and Aang turned his head, and his eyes grew nearly as large as Momo's as he saw something…huge, and black, and metal…and omitting black fumes into the air…larger than even the Fire Nation blimps…but bearing the Fire Nations red crested flag…

It rolled around the ground like a big black caterpillar, easily several stories high, leaving a trail of dust behind it as it did that went nearly as high as the fumes. At its front, was a sharp point…like a rounded spear…and it was moving…it was a massive drill, a drill heading straight towards the great wall despite its size in great speed.

Momo quivered wrapping his tale tighter around Aang's wrist, "I'm sorry Momo…" Aang said glaring.

"Appa will have to wait some more…"


	36. Chapter 36

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

The Drill

"This drill will be the crowning achievement in the weaponry history of the Fire Nation…" War Minister Qin said.

He leaned over the railing of the observation deck in the large cockpit that resembled the quarters of a ship.

**"All ahead, raise us up!"** Qin called down to the men at the helms, and levers. Before him was a whole floor of controls and gears which were being operated by pilots, enginers and status servers, all to make sure the drill stayed on course in the direction it was going.

At the command of their War Minster the pilot wearing a mask pulled a large leaver and shouted into the cone that hung from the ceiling of the cockpit by a tube. "All ahead 1 third! Raise her up!" he said.

The cockpit shook a bit, then slowly but surely as if on a crane, it rose up on large supporter beams at least 4 stories above the drill to get a bird's eye view of the penetration of the wall.

In the back of the steering room, were errected 3 thrones, made originally for the Fire Lord and two generals, but for the test run they now had and the Fire Lord himself being back in the Fire Nation, Azula appropriately sat in the upper middle throne, whilest Ty Lee and Mai sat in the two at her left and right hand.

The were erected in a way that they could over see the men over the destruction of the wall, and the men over seeing the controls.

"Soon…" the war minister mused, "The wall will be penetrated, and you Your Majesty, will rule Ba Sing Se before the sun has set…"

Azula didn't seem amused, Ty Lee was wide eyed and looking at all the controls and shiny objects. Mai was slouched in her throne as much as the seating space could afford her without her being completely vertical, with her feet hanging over the arm rest. She fingered a knife through her fingers boredly.

"Tell the Marshell Brago that his ground troops can prepare…" Azula said in an even tone, truth be told she was very happy about the goings on, but she wouldn't afford Qin to see that, she didn't need him so over confident that he made a mistake…again.

Qin nodded and relayed the message down to the yes men at the controls. "Alert the Lieutenant Marshel Brago his men are to be at the ready." He said.

Brago was in his chambers, looking at his paper and Quill pen…the paper seemed blank, he had only written "Dear sister" …well half of that sentence, how could he…make himself sound happy? He wasn't usually even that good with verbalized words about heartfelt matters.

_"I'm…"_ he started, _"Happy…"_ he continued writing _"That you've followed your…"_ no no that wasn't it…

_"Sorry I haven't replied back yet, we haven't had a lot of free Hawks lately- "_ No that was making it obvious he was avoiding writing back. _"We're about to invade Ba Sing Se…"_ that was a start.

Suddenly the voice of War Minster Qin ironically sounded on the speaker in the corner of his room.

**_"Lieutenant Marshall Brago to troop deck, Lieut. Marshall Brago to troop deck…"_** He looked down at his paper which still only had Dear sister, and We're about to invade, written on it, sighed and got up, he'd have to give his sister his condolences later…perhaps he'd be in a better mood after rampaging through the city.

* * *

Toph was walking along side Daiken as the group journeyed around the Massive wall to the Turtle Tram Station where they could bored a monorail trolley inside.

She could feel slight tremors beneath her feet, not like an earth quake but still the earth was moving.

"Is something wrong?" Daiken asked. Toph glanced behind her seeing nothing then shook her head, shrugging.

"Eh…" she said, "Just some tremors, they happen from time to time….still they aren't in spurse, its one long one…"

There was silence meaning that he had his answer and therefore had no reason to reply back.

What was the matter with her, _she was a tough girl, get it together….just thank the guy for saving your bacon! You aren't trying to come up with a sonet!_ She said to herself.

"Um thanks by the way…" she said, in a manner that sounded a little too cavaler for how she meant it, and regretted it afterwards.

Daiken simply replied, "No trouble." still walking.

Toph bit her lip and followed up, "Really, thanks a lot…" hoping that didn't sound worse.

Daiken looked at her this time, so she guessed by how she heard his collar and scarf ruffle.

"I didn't realize you couldn't swim until you started flailing…you didn't need to be in the water while that battle insued." He said.

Toph blew some hair out of her eye, "Pssh yeah…not the best composure under pressure…"

Daiken objected, "Actually its nothing to be ashamed of, if I'm understanding you correctly, your abilities rely on your perception of your suroundings. And water isn't solid enough for you to do that, yes?"

Toph nodded, "Uh uh…sort of like being blind again…I mean before I could see with my feet and ears and…" she stopped herself, she was rambling, she didn't ramble, what was up?

Daiken looked ahead again, "Well it's not that different from sand, there's no immediate solid shape to it, so to be stuck in it can be a pain unless your accustomed to bending it at that small a measure."

"How do you do that?" she asked finally, "I mean, you just came up knowing exactly how to bend each individual grain?"

Daiken raised his eye brow thinking about it, "In a…sense?..." he said, "Think of it like Math, are you good at it?"

Toph chuckled, "I wish…I mean I know basic stuff but I don't know complex junk."

Daiken grinned, "Well some people, not me included mind you, are experts at that complicated stuff because they naturally get it. The best way I can explain myself is somehow being able to understand each clump of unsettled dirt rock, forcing it to be one…I just...do." He said shrugging.

"Think of it as earth that you move with dirt, it's all broken down rock, same as rock is hardened denser dirt in a sense…since earth is in so much around us, I think it's possible to bend more things than just Earth…"

Toph looked at him, "Like what? Trees? Metal?" she said beginning to draw the line as his philosophy.

Daiken scoffed a tad replying, "Of course not trees…I don't think at least…but metal probably…we do break down oar to make it, and oar is rock so….theoretically yeah."

Toph chuckled a bit, "Boy your odd…" shaking her head.

Daiken did his half grin again looking at their path, "My sentiments exactly…if you meant that in a good way."

Toph smiled to herself, "I did…" then turned her head so he wouldn't see her smiles size as she realized it was huge. She cleared her throat changing the subject.

"Is anyone else feeling those tremors?" she asked, perfect timing, they were getting more and more noticeable by the minute, still nothing serious enough to be an all out quake, and she felt no roots to a fault line anywhere near there. The Earth Kingdoms capital would have built fail safes around anything like that.

Katara felt her chin, "Kind of…" she admitted, "Sokka do you?"

Sokka was snapped out of whatever thought wave he was in, "Huh?" he asked.

"Did you feel-" Katara started then looked up seeing… "AANG?" she said, "I thought you were looking for Appa."

Aang landed with a look of serious that made her realize something was terribly wrong.

"There's no time for that now, the Fire Nation is here…and they have a machine that could bring down the wall." Aang said.

"What?" everyone said in unison.

"How much farther to the train station inside?" Aang said.

Sokka glanced at his map, "Nearly there…why?"

"We need to get Ying and the Baby inside as fast as possible!" Aang said,

"We're not even safe within the great wall…" Ying said looking at their new baby Hope.

"It will be alright." Her husband said hugging his two treasures to him.

"You there!" came a voice.

They looked to the side to see an Earth Kingdom Guard approaching with a long lance atop an ostrich horse.  
"No loitering outside the wall! All he civilians are to get in line at the- "

"SIR!" Aang said interrupting, "There's no time, I'm the Avatar, I need to speak to you chief of defense…and this family needs to get inside the walls immediately!"

Katara beamed a bit at Aang, him taking charge like this was…quite taking.

"What?" the guard said in indignation and confusion.

"The Fire Nation's attacking!" Toph said, "I can feel the tremors even more now, it's a machine like Aang said, and its getting closer and closer to the wall as we speak."

"….WHAT?" the guard asked even more confused, even his ostrich horse looked at them sideways.

Aang rubbed his head, then in frustration looked at Toph and Daiken, then gestured with his fingers to the top of the wall.

Daiken nodded, and applied sand from the dust around them to make a spotch against the side of thew all.  
Toph feeling this knew what was to be done and using the sand Daiken had applied to ease the friction, she jolted the patch of Earth Aang and his team stood on like an elevator along the side of the great wall, soaring upwards .

"HEY!" The guard said even more confused, "You can't!-" he was cut off by Ying's husband as he grabbed the reigns of his ostrich horse.

"Did you not hear what the Avatar said? This city is under attack and my wife and child would like to be on the other side of this wall when it happens!"

Meanwhile above them, Aang, Toph and Daiken had successfully mounted the huge wall and were now looking out over the ledge of it at the huge device that was slowly moving towards the wall.

"Whoa…." Sokka said rubbing his neck.

"You there!" came a voice, similar in indignance. They all turned to see yet another guard of the Earth Kingdom glaring at them, with several soldier behind him.

"No civilians are permited atop the wall!" he said sternly.

Aang walked right up to the man and stared up at him narrowing his eyes with equal seriousness.  
"I'm the Avatar…"

The wind blew his tunic as he said this, to implicate he meant business, "And I need to speak to whoever's in charge…"

* * *

4 miles from the Foi Tan Woods

Myisho and her sisters arrived at a little village where they were told to get supplies from before they made the journey back again to reach the walls of Ba Sing se.

Getting off their Ostrich horses, they noticed the town was partially scortched in some buildings, so the fire Nation had been there…also there were signs of rocks being pelted through the buildings, so perhaps it wasn't Fire Nation, simply muraders with Torches…

But no one was walking about, where was everyone? A bell wrung somewhere in the town, not purposefully but lightly, as if the wind was blowing it from wherever it hung.

"Stay close sisters…" Myisho said, keeping her hand on her sword. Twan-Ni took out her bow and kept her fingers near the quiver on her hip. They all walked into the town.

Wind blew a piece of parchment by their feet before disappearing in an alley on the other side.

A girl's squeak of fright suddenly caught their attention, as they looked to the right, they saw a little girl rushing into a building.

Almost immediatly a dozen towns folk with spears and work axes came out, a few were in bending stances.

Myisho's sword was already out, and an arrow was out of Twan-Ni's quiver and placed on her bow in a blink, but she hadn't pulled the arrow back yet, they weren't there to fight, this was obviously a misunderstanding.

"We are not your enemy's!" Myisho said, putting her sword lower to indicate she did not mean to engage.

"Pa its Kyoshi warriors!" came a voice from within the crowd, and they hummed a little amongst themselves before lowering most of their weapons, some still kept theirs up. Something or someone had spooked these people considerably.

"We ARE of the Kyoshi order on Mt. Kyoshi, whats happened here?" Myisho said feeling a bit more confident, and trying to sound like Suki would.

"This towns seen no end of bloodshed…" a woman said, "First our son's, then…" she stifled a sniff as she cried.

"Who did this?" the Kyoshi warrior Quiesho asked, putting her fan back.

The little girl who had cried before now came back to the front of the group, then said;

"He killed my grampa…." Before sobbing.

"Who did?" Myisho asked again, getting on one knee in front of her.

The girl looked around her shoulder at her mother they guessed, who nodded to her, she turned back to Myisho to look her in the eye with her own glassy ones.

"The pale cooking man…" she whispered as if saying his name would bring him back.

The other sisters gave double takes or blinked and Myisho herself leaned in closer, "What was that? I'm sorry, the Pale-cooking-man?" she asked.

The little girl nodded and rushed back hugging her mother's legs. The young woman stroking her daughters hair was wiping a tear off her own face.

"Those Fire Nation….Swine!" she said through her tears.

"I've seen my share of charring by warfair , but this…this is different." A man with a discolored eye said in the crowd.

"Would you let us see him?" Myisho asked not knowing what else that could be done.

After being led through one of the houses hallways they came to a room with bed by the window, on the bed was someone covered with a white cloth.

A man was sitting by the bed looking at the covered person, he looked up when he saw the Kyoshi warriors.

"We're here to help…" Myisho said so that he wouldn't get up. "We're hoping we can help…know what to look for in who ever did this…" Twan-Ni said. "Would it be permissible if we…saw the body?"

The man hesitated for a minute then looked at the woman with the child and nodded after she gave him a reassuring look.

He stepped back and looked away as Myisho bravely stood up to the cloth and put her two fingers on the underside of it, she shut her eyes not sure if she wanted to see this, and….

She gasped covering her mouth as she pulled it back, just to show the face.

"My god…" she said.

* * *

The Wall of Ba Sing Se

"I'm sorry…" said Captain of the Outer Wall guard, "It is an honor to be in your presence Young Avatar, and we thank you kindly for your concern...but your help is not needed." He said with a contented grin.

"Not needed?" Aang said raising a brow not understanding.

"Not. Needed." The man repeated smiling again, his long mustache which extended bellow his chin rose with his huge smile. He sat hunched over his desk due to what seemed like the weight of the royal armor he had on.

"I!" he said raising a finger as he stood from his chair, "Have the situation under control…many have attempted to penetrate this wall…and none have succeeded…" he began strolling to a window of his office looking out over the wall.

"Except the white Dragon of the West…" Toph coughed. The man's eyes grew and quickly turned around to face them.

"Well yes…er…in a sense….he did manage to get over but….he was QUICKLY expunged!" he said as a matter of factly.

"There've been many a machine from cannons to catapults that have attempted to bring this master piece down. And as you can see, none have prevailed, that's why it's called the Impenetrable city…they don't it NA-Sing Se…"

He suddenly began bursting in laughter at his own joke, then seeing the reactions on the children's faces clarified, "That means the Penetrable city…" he said raising his finger instructively again.

"Very nice…" Daiken said arms folded, "But in case you haven't noticed, this isn't a catapult or some small one manned machine…that thing is larger than one of their warships and its closing in fast."

"Not to worry!" the man chortled passing them by, "It shan't be for long…to take care of it, I've sent an elite plattoon of expert Earth Benders called…"

There was a pause, and the group realized he was using it for dramatic emphasis.

"The _TERRA TEAM!_" he finished proudly.

Toph rubbed her head as if the cliché name hurt to hear.

"That's a good name…" Sokka said rubbing his chin, "Catchy, cool, and intimidating!"

The Captain of the Outerwall guard smiled chuckling, "I like this young man!"

"Figures…" Toph groaned.

Meanwhile bellow, the "_Terra Team"_ was charging the group of Tanks that were riding alongside he great metal drill. There were 48 of them in total, all wearing the gold, round brimmed hats with green tassels on them of the Earth Kingdom, all with hard leather cuffs, and fingerless straps on their arms so they could easily use their bending and strength should they have to strike or punch a rock.

**"For the Earth King!"** the leader of the group bellowed and they all moved in unison, sending a shaft of Earth that tipped a Tank on its side into the path of another Tank, making the whole line go off course to avoid crashing.

The other members of the Terra Team began trapping the Tanks in Rock, some of their treads ground their way through the rock, but there was little for the ones on their sides to do to fight back even after that.

After creating a significant gap through their line of protective tanks, the Terra Team speedily made their way towards the drill itself.

They erected a huge slab of rock up out of the Earth and drove it as hard as they could into the drill's side.

Its purpose was to tip the giant machine over, but it didn't so much as slow or budge it.

They tried after this, to jam as much of the rock spires into its middle parts so the gears wouldn't work, but as steam erupted from the chimney's on the top and the Drill roared to life again, the gear simply turned and ground up the rock like sugar.

* * *

Azula looked out at the battle from the observation tower at the top of the drill and glanced back at Mai who looked as if she was ready to stab herself with her own knife from being so bored.

"Mai…Ty…be dears and go help Brago and his men take out those pests…" she said smirking.

Ty Lee sat up from where she had just been napping, Mai got up out of her throne and whipped her knife back in her sleeve mumbling, "Ugh, finally! Something to do…"

"But…" Ty Lee began, "But what Ty Lee?" Azula asked turning around with her hands behind her back, Ty Lee gulped, "Nothing!" She said hurrying after Mai.

Inside the boarding compartment on the side of the drill which was to be used for when they broke through the wall, Brago and his Kite Betalion crouched waiting, they all had their masks on except for Brag who preferred not to wear his helmet, he said it impaired him.

"Steady men…" he said. They peered out the peek hole of their hidden compartment at the Terra Team's large mound of earth nearing their side of the drill.

"Now!" Brago said, and his men kicked the leaver making the wall they were behind swing open like a draw bridge.

They all leapt out and onto the mound of Earth as it came alongside them. A Terra Team bender swung his arm in surprise at Brago's head sending a slab of rock at him. Brago ducked by twirling his body around without stopping his momentum in running. He came out of his spinning, drawing his sword in the same motion. As he drew it, he jetted his elbow out and into the solarplexs of the Earth Bender, knocking the wind out of him. Brago then kicked him off of his mount on top of the rock spire and he fell half a story down before lying unconscious on the ground.

His men were already in motion sliding down the sides of drill and leaping themselves onto the rock walls the Terra Team were raising to stop the machine.

They had out their swords and hatches and either using their bending or martial arts skill, hacked through their rock defenses and took them out cold as prisoner of war.

But their element of surprise only lasted so long, there were still at least 36 other members of the Terra Team who were taking the advantage of their distance to pelt Brago and his men with huge boulders.

"Take cover! Get out of the Open! Get to the Tanks!" Brago bellowed and charged the benders, having to roll and jump a few times to avoid schizems in the ground or boulders heading for him.

Suddenly a man clutched his arm right before he bent his rock at Brago's blind side, a knife had nicked his wrist.

Looking up, they could see two young woman leaping down from the side of the drill, one of them had a flowing robe and was pelting knives at the Terra Team, forcing them to use their Earth bending to shield themselves. Brago saw it was Mai and Ty Lee.

"What are you doing out here?" Brago asked slicing through a rock coming at his head with his sword.

Mai shrugged reaching in her blouse, "Got bored…." Then threw a knife hidden in it at an Earth Bender.

Brago raised his brow, "You keep knives in there too?" he said, she hid smirk and advanced with him and his men.

Ty on the other hand was unsure what to do…she had to protect her friends but… "TY LEE TO YOUR RIGHT!" Mai yelled.

Ty Lee shrieked and leapt out of the way of an Earth slab coming towards her, it wasn't a difficult thing to dodge but it had caught her by surprise.

In doing so she saw an Earth Bender coming up out of the ground like a Mole behind Mai, "Mai!" she shrieked.

Before an instant passed, she had cart wheeled over Mai's head, landing both her feet on the Terra Teams head. She leapt off of it and did a spinning kick to the rib cage of another, then relayed a series of punches a at his pressure points. She did this 2 or 3 times before realizing these men were now taking as many of their fallen as they could back to the wall and into their turrets.

"They're falling back!" Brago yelled, "Advance, Tanks open fire!"

The Tanks began spewing fire from their flame throwers as they rolled along, forcing the Team back even further, forcing the entire team to retreat.

Brago's Kite Betalion cheered.

* * *

**"…..We're doomed!"** The Captain of the Outer wall sobbed in dismay as he stepped back from his spy glass atop the wall. Sokka slapped the man and grabbed him by his coat collar, "GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF MAN!" he said.

The Outer Wall Captain inhaled desperately, "Your right…your right…." He said attempting to compose himself.

"Do you think you might want the Avatar's help _Nooooowww_…" Toph asked, stretching out the "Now"

The Outer Wall Captain moved over to Aang, his head hung, "Please?"

Aang nodded, "Alright we'll work on starting to take it down…" Aang said, then they all turned in unison to Sokka who looked over his shoulder before realizing they were looking at him.

"Oh so _I'M_ the only one who can come up with a plan? Okay, I'M THE PLAN-GUY, That's a lot of pressure." He said folding his arms.

"Your also the complainer guy…" Toph said.

"That, I don't mind." Sokka said honestly.

Suddenly one of the Wall guards hurriedly came to their platform.

"Sir!" he said "The troops we've been able to retrieve have made it successfully behind the wall again sir! They're in the infirmary if you wish to interrogate them on the battle."

Inside the infirmary atop the wall, Katara was helping the nurses to heal the wounded, Sokka, Daiken and the rest were helping the men carry more inside.

"These last ones…" The OuterWall Captian said, "They have no wounds…what happened to them…"

"His chi has been cut off…" Katara said.

Aang's eyes grew, and she looked back at him, knowing he was thinking what she was.

"It…it was a girl…she punched me and…all of a sudden, I couldn't bend…couldn't…couldn't move…" the Soldier said.

"Ty…" Aang said bellow a whisper.

"Ty Lee." Katara said, perhaps hearing Aang, perhaps not, "That's her alright, she hits your pressure points, and takes you out from the inside out.

Aang staggered back a step, "_No…"_ he thought, "No she wouldn't…" he said out loud.

"Who wouldn't?" the Outerwall Captain asked confused, Toph quickly put a hand on Aang's shoulder, "he's a little shocked by all of this…" she said hurriedly. The last thing they needed was the defenses of Ba Sing Se to think they had connections to the enemy.

"THAT'S IT!" Sokka suddenly said excitedly, just what they needed to avert attention from that awkward moment.

"That drills' a machine, that means pressure points, gears…works…and if we take those out…"

Daiken finished the rest for Sokka "Yes...we can overcome it from the inside, good thinking!" he said, rubbing his chin.

"See? We're getting along already!" Sokka said slapping Daiken's back, and the look Daiken gave him made him regret doing it quickly after.

Aang held onto his staff as if he needed it for support.

No no…Ty wouldn't do this. Not the one he knew…but this was her handy work…clear as clear. There were a lot of guys down there though, if she hadn't fought them off…in self defense, he added in his head, she may have been under more suspicion from her comrades…that had to be it…it had to.

He could feel Katara's eyes on him, but he couldn't bring himself to look at them…he knew they weren't gloating or angry…and if anything it was because of that he couldn't look at them.


	37. Chapter 37

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

Belly of the Beast

Ty Lee was now again aboard the Drill, wiping the dirt off her pants and tunic, and shaking it out of her hair.

The men were cheering and laughing at the victory while helping others to the infirmary aboard the drill.

Brago chuckled then saw Ty Lee looking sullen, "Don't worry." He said looking at her.

She glanced up, "Huh?" she asked being pulled out of time and space.

"You choked…" he said, "In battle. It has to happen at some point of your career…just be thankful it didn't cost you your life or anyone else's. In fact in your case, your quick thinking lead to helping Mai come back alive." He said patting her back. Ty Lee smiled at that…

He then walked down the hall passed her, and she saw some men watching run her hands down her legs to get the dirt off, than pretend they weren't looking. She rolled her eyes and stalked to a different part of the vehicle.

Brago going down the hallway bumped into Mai, "OH pardon." He said standing to the side completely straight for her to pass.

Mai couldn't help but smirk at the memory of… she shook her head snapping out of it, and said "No problem…Nice moves out there."

Brago smiled as she passed by, "Nice moves yourself…" he said watching her go.

Ty Lee slammed the door of her quarter shut, why did she feel so guilty? Aang could've been watching that fight right now…what was he to think? But she couldn't just let her friends get hurt….what was she supposed to do?

She buried her face in her pink pillow, hugging it as she screamed into it in frustration.

* * *

A little distance from the drill, a secret hatch opened near some rocks near the wall, and Toph popped out like a badger mole.

Followed by Katara, Aang, Sokka and Daiken.

Toph didn't even have to pear over their cover to see where the drill was in proximity from them.

"Okay!" she said getting everyone crouched down in a huddle. "First. Daiken, I'm going to need you to cook up your best dust cloud to shroud us…." She said.

Daiken nodded, "Katara?" she said turning to her, "You stay between me, Aang, and Sokka in case we need some steam or ice. "

They all nodded, except for Aang.

"Aang!" Katara said sharply.

"Stay with Sokka and you, I got it!" Aang said to show he was listening. Oh how Katara wanted to give him a speech about what had just transpired, Aang knew it.

"There's not going to be much visibility inside the cloud once I get it going…" Daiken said wrapping his scarf around all but his eyes around his head. "So stay close to Toph and I…"

"Right!" they all said together, putting their hands in the circle on top of each other, Katara's hand landed on Aangs, she wanted him to look at her, to tell him she wasn't mad at him…although she WAS mad at Ty Lee for lying….

"TEAM AVATAR!" Sokka said, "1, 2, 3, Brea-"

"Let's go!" Daiken said cutting off Sokka's "BREAK", and jammed his foot in the ground sending both his shoulders forward in a C strike with his fists. It made a wall of dust leap from the ground in a straight line towards the drill then billow to look natural as it got thicker.

"Move!" he said and they all got low and ran within the dust cloud, holding each others hands.

* * *

Inside the drill, one of the men at the helm in the observation deck peered out through the telescopic periscope of the drill at the mysterious dust cloud that was forming on their right flank.

"Sir?" he said pointing. War Minster Quin and Azula stepped over to the view port and each took a turn looking in the view scope.

"Pah!" the War minster said, "I'm sure it's nothing."

Azula looked in it last, then bit her lip thinking, "Hmmmm" she mused as she narrowed her eyes.

* * *

Inside the cloud bellow them Toph was feeling along the side of the drill, she was wrapping along the side and under belly of it as she did to then feel the vibrations with her palm.

"Not yet…Not yet…" she said still wrapping.

With a final TONG, she felt a reverberation of an opening along the underside of the drill big enough for kids their size.

"Ah-ha!" she said, "Found it! Everyone hold hands…" she reached out for Daiken's but it was snatched by Sokka, "Okay!" he said eagerly, she groaned and shot her fist at the ground making a huge hole going down diagonally. She entered to darkness with them, then closed the hole up over them. The ground around them shook and they could hear the drill above them. Aang did his best to keep the air circulating between them all.

"I can't see a thing!" Sokka complained,

"OOH What a nightmare!" Toph said mockingly terrified.

"…Sorry." Sokka apologized.

"NOW!" Toph said, timing it perfectly, and punched the ground above them, letting light poor in on them. They were now on the underside of the drill.

"Did we make it, is the opening there?" Toph asked. They all squinted as dust floated through the air, but they could see an opening between two portions of the machines underbelly leading to a glowing red light inside.

"You did it Toph!" Sokka applauded. "We shouldn't delay!" Daiken urged. "They'll be through the wall if we don't move fast."

Aang bounded up first and swung his legs over a pipe that hung from the potion they had to climb through. He reached out his hands and hoisted Katara up first, his hands on her waist. As he lifted her up, he saw her eyes, meeting his. They were disappointed, hurt…and something else, he shut his eyes letting her go in the rest of the way.

He outstretched his hands for Sokka next who he hoisted up in the same manner. Daiken just jumped up as Aang did and clambered up himself, he would have been too heavy.

"Toph lets go!" Sokka said.

"What? I'm not going in there! I can't bend metal…I'm going to stay out here and try to mess with this things wheels."

Sokka would have objected but Aang hurried them all along "Come come on, Time's a wasting!"

"I'll be fine, I'm in my element…there's enough noise down here for me to see everything …" she said reassuringly.

Aang nodded and hoisted himself up the rest of the way.

The team ran through the inner workings of the large drill, there were halls winding like a maze, each with machinery somewhere built into the walls, usually with a pipe that ran along the outer portion of it.

"How do we know where the weak points are in this thing?" Aang asked.

Sokka looked around carefully then his eyes lit up, "Found it!" he said, and taking his club/machete from behind his back, swung back and sliced a knob off of a pipe next to them, steam omitted from it whistling loudly.

Aang and his friends covered their ears "Are you insane?" Katara asked over the whistling.

But Sokka was already ushering them to hide behind a boiler tank, then said to them above the scream of the pipe,

"A place this big needs maintenance, so when something breaks…" he said smiling slyly.

"Someone shows up to fix it…!" Aang said with realization, "With schematics or a map…" Daiken finished, liking the idea very much by his voice.

They heard a clanking, "Shh everyone stay down…" Sokka said crouching. Soon a burley Fire Nation workman came down the steps to the ramp they had been on, he was shirtless, understandable for the steam room he was working on, and had on a mask with goggles that they guessed were so he could still see in the dimly lit and thick steamed rooms.

In his hand he held a wrench, and in the other he held a scroll of paper that he checked before advancing towards the broken feature of the pipe. He moved his hand from back to forth to try to move some of the thick steam from in front of his visor but suddenly couldn't move…going from really humid, to dead freezing.  
The steam he was standing in had become ice, fixing him to the floors and walls as the cloud became solid.

Katara who had done the dead came from around the corner of the boiler and took from him the scroll that was in his left hand. "Thank you…" she said curtsying to him then running back to her friends in victory.

"Good thinking Sokka." She said, handing the schematic blue prints to Sokka who shook off the exes ice off the map and examined the moist parchment.

"Alright…" Sokka said, "The support beams that keep the Drill stable are….this way!" he said pointing to a ladder.

The Gang rushed down the hallway to the ladder and Daiken held up a hand being the first one to make it to the top. They paused at his signal and he carefully lifted the hatch lid the ladder lead up to and peered out.

Through the slit he could now see the shoulders down bodies of two maintenance men, shirtless and muscular, wearing masks like all the rest. Their backs were turned for the moment; he kept quiet even though the noise of the generator they were manning drowned out nearly all ambient noise. Daiken reached for his belt where a satchel hung and undid a string strap from the side of it, letting his hand wait under the opening.

The Avatar and his group, still holding onto the ladder under him waited for whatever he was going to do, and saw sand spill into his hand from the bag, almost snaking into it like an adder. The then he slowly put his hand up and half way out of the hatch opening and the sand crawled up and around his arm, still like a snake, and slid along the floor above them.

His eyes were sharp as darts, watching the flow of sand as he guided it altering his fingers to make it crawl along the floor to the feet of the two men. As it did, it spread out like water.

Aang and Katara and Sokka still looked up at him puzzled, unable to see what he was doing other then the moving of his fingers, until finally he jerked his hands back as if he were pulling some invisible strings, and the sound of something scratching along the metal floor was heard.

They heard two cries above them.

Daikens sand slide across the floor in a flash of motion, tripping the two men then clasped over their faces and hands like waiting traps, once their hands hit the floor.

"GO!" Daiken said in a hushed tone opening the hatch all the way and pulling himself up.

The avatar and his friends came up soon after him to see the two burly men held fast to the floor by sand cuffs and gags.

Aangs eyes panned the two, impressed and surprised.

"Wow…" Sokka said. "Where do we put them if guards come?"

Daiken made a fist and the sand rolled the two men cross the floor towards each other till there was a loud KONK and their heads crashed against other, knocking both huge men unconscious.

"Behind these generators." Daiken said shrugging a shoulder.

Sokka nodded and re-looked at the map, "Okay down two more hallways and then to the left where we come to a big door."

Katara nodded and Daiken and Aang dragged the two men behind the large machines they had just been watching. Daiken opened his palm and the sand from the floor rose up like a snake again back into his palm, up his hand and into his pouch.

Meanwhile bellow Toph was setting up rock Barriers to jolt into the treads and works of the wheels, she had to make sure their density was just right, anything less and it would be like trying to stop a boulder with cake.

She slammed her foot down on the vibrating ground to feel how close they were to the wall…oh lord…only a matter of minutes and it would make contact…

She hurriedly continued making mounds under the earth to be ready to mess up the treads…she wouldn't have enough but she still had to try, her friends were in a big metal prison…she couldn't let them down.

The avatar and his friends finally made it to the huge chamber where the large cylinder for the drill was located. It was a long long pipe it looked like, stretching from one end of the massive devise to the other. Along the sides of the chamber were large beams, going up, down, from left to right, like support beams for a room if it were circular, each beam easily the width of a large tree, and twice as thick.

"This is it…" Sokka said enthusiastically pointing at the map, then at the beams, "These pillars are the supporters for this whole vehicle keeping itself from tipping over or breaking from the weight, it's like the bones of a body, take these out and this thing'll crumble from the inside!"

Aang looked at Katara who nodded to him, taking out her pouch full of water and allowing it to slink into her hands in a floating bludge of liquid.

"I'm ready…" Aang said. Meaning he wasn't going to be distracted by what….what had just transpired…the whole Earth Kingdom…and in effect the world, rested on them taking this machine down.

"I am too…" Katara replied.

"I will have your back…" Daiken said glaring at the door.

"GREAT!" yelled Sokka, "Let's do this…we are TEAM AVATAR!" he said pumping his fist in the air with the other hand on his hip.

Daiken, Aaang and Katara looked at each other rolling their eyes before getting to work.

Katara quickly whipped out her water gobul out at the vertical metal beam, and it sliced cleanly through...its corner…

Aang used an air bubble to float off of the large horizontal beam they were standing on, and go around to the other side of the vertical one they were going to attempt to chop in two.

Katara whipped the water back and lashed it out again, more like an arrow then a whip, and it sliced through another small portion of the beam, going out the other side where Aang was ready for it.

He caught the water in mid air, making it float there for a while then sent it back with the exact same strength at Katara through the beam, taking out another small portion, making a fine slit in the middle of it.

Together, it was as if Aang and Katara were using a double handled saw and were chopping down a large tree, only with water for a blade.

It was as equally as tiring as it was to take down a tree of that size for they were soon panting and holding onto their knees, bent over, and they had only cut through to the middle of the large beam.

"Come on Team Avatar! We can't stop now! Show that beam who's boss- " Sokka started trying to unction them on as he had been since they started…but Katara who had had enough of this turned with a red eyed look that made Sokka yelp in the middle of his sentence.

"I mean…" he finished, "Your doing JUST fine…."

Katara rolled her shoulders turning around again to the large metal pillar, and made almost fists with her hands.

"I'm Ready!" Aang said from the other side of the beam. "Okay…send it my way!" Katara said bracing herself.

The water cut through the metal making the slit bigger and soared into her hands where she pelted it back with equal force.

They did this about 6 or 7 times before they began to realize that they were literally only half a foot away from cutting clean through.

Sokka's eyes grew with anticipation and was besides himself with excitement.

Daiken looked over his shoulder to see how far they had come, then turned fully around at seeing them about to chop down the whole thing.

Finally

**_-SLICE!-_**

The pillar was cut completely through, and it began to move.

The top portion slide off the bottom portion like butter on bread, making a scraping sound as it did….then just stopped.

Half way, it stopped, with only a little bit of it hanging over the side…the brace was still holding.

Katara wiped the sweat from her brow, gasping for air, "At this rate…" she said. "We'll never do enough damage to it before it reaches the wall…"

Aang sat on his seat wiping his own sweat off his bald head. "Yeah…" he said, "I'm not sure how many of those I have left in me…"

Suddenly the beam they were on began to vibrate, and the whole chamber quaked, Sokka looked up to see the lamp over them shaking.

"You must have done it!" Sokka said, "We've taken it down, the chain reactions working, we should move out now before it starts crumbling from the inside!"

The group began to move back across the beam to the catwalk they'd come in from. As they were about to jump the railing they felt the machine stop suddenly, and a voice echoed from above them.

They looked up to see several funneled tubes sticking out from the ceiling like mega phones, out of them poured the proud voice of War Minister Qin.

"Good work crew!" his voice echoed throughout the craft, "The drill has made contact with the wall of Ba Sing Se…Repeat, we have made contact with the wall of Ba Sing Se…we should be though to the other side in less than an hour!"

The entire vehicle erupted with cheers, even the Avatar and his friends could hear it echoing throughout the halls.

They looked at each other in dismay and panic…they had failed.


	38. Chapter 38

Combustion

Toph remained outside, doing her utmost to block the Drills' path from the outer wall, but as much as she tried, and as much as she made the earth tense, and rocky, or the barriers she'd put up, it was all still futile against the iron treads of the massive nightmare.

"Come on guys…!" she said groaning and putting her back into keeping the drill from crushing her too, "Hurry up!"

Meanwhile inside the great machine, above her, Sokka was pressing his full body weight against the metal beam which Aang and the group had successfully cut clean through…although it still hadn't moved but a few inches to the left since they had.

"Hurry up you!" Sokka growled, pressing harder, "Budge!"

He pushed with all his might, using his shoulder, his arms, his hips, even his back while digging his heals into the floor, but nothing gave results.

Aang Katara and Daiken had all sat down, watching him go through these fits.

Katara and Aang had caught their breath by now, but now they were just brain storming what they could do?

The wall had been breached, the drill would pierce all the way through in a matter of minutes, and if they didn't stop it, a full scale invasion of the Earth Kingdom could commence.

"There is no doubt that the Fire Nations bulk in military force is awaiting a signal in the outlands of the desert or somewhere close by." Daiken said.

"Once they know there's an opening, their tanks can lead a full scale assault inside and take the city…" Katara put in.

"And that's on top of the fact that his drill is powerful enough to roll over villages and towns…all the way to the Capital by itself." Aang finished dismally.

Sokka kicked the giant beam sending a **_GONG_** sound up it, and a pain up his leg. He held it, hopping a little but still glaring.

"It's no use…" he finally admitted sitting down himself. "No matter how much we put against it, it won't come down… not in time… it's literally our weight vs. its own…"

Aangs eyes suddenly lit up,

"What?" Katara asked sitting up.

"Maybe…" Aang started, "Maybe we don't have to cut ALL the way through it…maybe…we just need to weaken these braces…not slice them…." He said.

Sokka stood up on his knees, "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"What you just were!" Aang said excitedly, "It's own weight!"

Aang lifted up out of his sitting position with a gust of gentle air on his arms and stood in front of Sokka.

"I'll show you! Sokka assume a fighting stance." He said. Sokka did so in confusion, putting his fists up.

Aang turned to Katara and Daiken who were now rising as well.

"It's something Toph's been teaching me. Never to put 100% strength into any one strike…" he went on.

Sokka realized this exercise was NOT going to end well if this were based off of something Toph had taught Aang.

"You have to be quick and accurate!..." Aang continued, and before anyone could blink, Aang had glided his foot behind Sokka's and brought it back to him so that Sokka was doing an involuntary half splits, and was now desperately attempting to get out of it before he got so low it hurt.

Aang went on, "Hit a series of points…that are vital to your opponents balance…" he then struck Sokka in the shoulder, stomach and rib cage, sort of in the same fashion Ty Lee had showed him. They were just taps but they made Sokka even more wobbly. Katara noticed and recognized these moves but bit her tongue at her disapproval.

"Then when his weight is against him, deliver the final blow…and that massive weight becomes his own downfall…literally." With that, Aang gave a non forceful shuto to Sokka's forehead with the palm of his hand and Sokka fell in a heap, tangled up in his own arms and legs wondering what happened.

"Sounds like a plan!" Daiken said giving another half smile. "Do you think you have enough in the two of you to do it a few more times?"

Aang looked at the long chamber full of beams, then at Katara… if they didn't succeed, it was all for nothing, and his friends would be forfeit, there was no other option.

Soon Aang and Katara had water sawed off quarters, corners, and on some of the pillars half way through, just enough so that if anything happened to the drills body, the beams would be weak at their base. Realizing they didn't have to fell the entire pillar somehow made them feel not as tired as they sawed through one beam after another…surprised that they were sawing as many as they were.

* * *

Meanwhile above them, a servant was serving War Minister Qin and Princess Azula wine to toast the countdown to victory.

Azula took the cup, still without smiling and held it up. The War Minister did as well as the beverage was served up do the other men in the cockpit of the craft.

They could all see from their bird's eye view of the drill that the nose of the drill was slowly disappearing into the cloud that was forming between them and the wall. The truth behind Azula's serious mood was frankly that she was relishing this moment, loving it in fact, but the composer of a War Princess who even in the face of victory was cold as ice struck well in her reputation among the troops.

Azula walked over to Mai with a cup, "Come on Mai…have _SOME_ fun…" she said.

Mai slouched in her thrown more and put a hand up, "No thanks…I'm not a big drinker…" she said in her bored way.

Azula saw Brago amongst the men toasting, and smiled. "Very well then…" she said, and walked towards the congratulatetory party.

Mai put her head on her hand, leaning on the arm rest, then her eye caught Azula giving the cup to Brago who took it from her smiling.

Mai leaned off of her hand, not slouching as much. She saw Azula saying something to him that made him smirk and shake his head in a chuckle, and the other men laughed, then as Azula turned her back a bit more, put her hand on his shoulder as she raised her cup to the other men who did it in turn.

Mai stood up now, and whether she was about to leave or go over to the group was never to be found out for as she did, a voice from a crew man aboard the drill bellowed through the megaphone tubes coming out of the floor.

**"Officer Kai to bridge! Officer Kai to Bridge!"** came the voice, it was from the 4 level.

"Report!" Brago said, speaking through the funneled tube meant for replying to that floor.

**"War Minister!"** it repeated, **"A maintenance man on the 4th floor has been ambushed, he was frozen solid in ice!"**

Everyone looked at the War Minister, who was about to give a command when another voice boomed from another funnel tube to his right. **"War Minister!"** came a second voice, **"A beam on the Starboard side has been cut clean through, this is sabotage sir!"**

The War Minister's eyes were as large as saucers and Azula slammed her cup down on a flat surface of the hull, spilling a good deal.

"Mai! Lieutenant! With me! The rest of you go towards the exits….they _won't_ get away…." She said as she ran towards the lift door.

Right before it closed she reached for a funnel tube reaching to the private quarters of the vehicle and yelled, "Ty Lee, if your even still on this tub, get bellow, we have intruders!..."

* * *

Bellow in the compression bay.

"Alright!" Sokka said, "That should be good enough, now let's get out of here so Aang can-"

He was cut off as he was yanked out of the way by a flow of air from Aang, right before a burst of blue flame incinerated where he was standing, sparking on the metal floor.

The group looked above them, and directly in front of them on a beam, a few yards hirer then their own, was Azula, her toady Mai, and the tall Lieutenant who had punched Aang in the gut when they captured him.

Aang scanned the group… 3…just 3…where was….? He looked to the side to see Katara scanning the trio for the same missing person. Where was she? Was she hiding somewhere aboard the ship?

"Well well…" Brago said glaring down at them, "Didn't think I'd see you again this soon…."

Sokka glared back up, "I could say the same…" he said brandishing his machete club.

He could hear a clinking of chain, and glancing to his right could see Daiken reaching behind his back for his comma's.

"I guess the good guy streak could only last for so long huh?" Sokka continued turning his attention back to Brago.

"You've nowhere to run…" Brago said ignoring the comment, "And I assure you, this place is a lot harder to jump ship from…"

Aang knew what was going on…everyone was stalling, stalling for those with long ranged attacks to get ready to throw or bend at one of the other team's big players…most likely Azula's plan was to get at him chiefly before either of his friends…time to mess with that.

Aang broke the standoff by throwing a gust of wind like discuss that grew as it went towards the beam the 3 stood on to blow them off. Azula's blue fire cut through the air gust just in time to see Aang using a gust of wind much larger to boast them from the beam they were on to a lower one till they could get to one adjacent a door out.

Where was Ty Lee when you needed her? Azula thought. She'd of been in front of them before they could even turn to run…springy little flake…

Azula bounded after them, kicking off of the beam with sparks of blue flame jetting from her feat to propel her forward to theirs.

Brago did an impressive jump himself, grabbing onto the beam just as Azula landed on it with her feat, and hoisted himself up with a short grunt.

Mai had already run alongside the one they had jumped off of and kicked off of the side of another to help her clear the distance.

In doing so she sent a flurry of knives at their prey.

The tall lanky one in the water tribe tunic ducked one by the skin of his teeth, the Avatar was more skillful in his dodge but it was still near.

Suddenly the one with the short cut hair and dark skin turned to face them with a hand in front of his lips and suddenly blew.

Out of nowhere dust sprung from his hand making an enormous cloud that shrouded them from view.

Some of the powdered sand got into Mai's eyes and she coughed losing balance.

A hand grabbed hers, keeping her upright…one she knew to be Brago's from the glove on it, and blinking she waited as Azula set the cloud a blaze to push it out the way.

As they did they could see the last of a foot exiting into a door way leading to the maintenance halls of the drill, right next to one of the beams.

Azula hissed…

* * *

Ty Lee ran down the halls nearly knocking over a Drill worker, "_Intruders? Aang…could it really be him? What if it was just those Terra team guys? Still what if it was him? What if he was there looking for her? She had to be sure!_

* * *

Aang and the group turned a bend, knowing that Azula and her stooges couldn't be far behind.

Suddenly, they came to a fork in the hall, one leading left, one leading right. "SOkkA?" Aang said, hoping he didn't have to say more than his name to ask which way to go.

Sokka was sharp as a tack right now, and immediately brandished the parchment schematics of the drill, and looked it over in a matter of seconds.

"HERE!" he said, "We're here, we have two ways out, directly up…which is this ladder!..." he said pointing.

"…And…this tube…its pipeline leading out the back of the drill, probably to let hot air out…" Sokka said.

"I can make it up the ladder quickly…I'll go to the top to deliver the final blow…" Aang said thoughtfully.

"We will create a distraction and lead them the other way…" Daiken said nodding.

Aang nodded back, thanking them. He turned to go…he really…he was hoping on the way speeding through the halls…he could…confirm if she was here….he was a speed reader himself when he put his mind to it in the moment. The living quarters were near the top…to keep them away from the heat of the generators.

"Aang wait!" Katara said, Aang stopped, had she guessed his agenda?

"You need this water more than I do…" Katara said tossing her pouch to him. Aang caught it and strapped it to his belt, thanking her with his eyes…still shaking off the guilty feeling he had for….he wasn't sure what…

"HURRY!" Sokka said deliberately down the halls.

"This way Aang!" and ran with Katara and Daiken to the left.

Aang ran like mad, using air to propel him down the hall to the right and around the corner.

All this only seconds before Azula and her team skidded down the hall, seeing the last of Sokka's foot disappearing around the corner. She had heard him calling the Avatar's name to go with them….but…no to easy…

As they came to the fork in the hall she could hear an echoing to her right, but heard footsteps to her left.

Of course…the Avatar could fly, it would be logical for him to reach the top to mount his escape…

She looked at Brago who nodded to her confirming he had guessed the same…she liked having someone who thought ahead of the enemy too.

"You two go that way! The avatar is mine….." she said turning on her heals and bolting down the starboard side hall.

Ty Lee skidded to the end of her hall and saw a pole used for emergencies to reach the lower level, good, she didn't want to wait to reach the stairs or lifts, with the amount of people running in the other direction, or in her own to beat her there.

She grasped hold of it, and kicked open the hatch bellow it, and slid down, shutting the hatch behind her.

As soon as it closed, the door next to her swung open and Aang burst out, Momo still clutching onto his arm for dear life.

Good he had just missed someone going down the hatch, he thought. He'd have to be faster if he was going to evade everyone….

Sokka, Katara, and Daiken were rounding a bend that would take them to this _Pipe line._

Sokka put the map back in his pouch after glancing at it once more as they ran, "Almost there guys!" he chortled.

Suddenly they could see ahead of them, a side door opened out of the wall, and out burst The Fire Nation Lieutenant and the girl Mai.

Sokka skidded, and Katara slide on her knee's to avoid a knife headed straight for her head.

Daiken brought his arm down to cause sand to jet from his pouch but as he did, he saw a blade come close to where his arm would be an brought it back to avoid it being cut off.

In effect he saw the blades true target, his pouch. The sword blade cut the bag off of his waist cleanly, missing his hip by an inch, and sent the bag bouncing against the walls of the hall.

Brago brought his sword back from the chop and made another effort to swing at the dark skinned sand nomad, and saw too late that he was he was quicker then he looked in his seemingly baggy desert clothes. Not stopping his momentum towards Brago, he ducked the blade swipe meant to hit him with the blunt side across the neck to immobilize him, and came out of the duck by headbutting Brago in the face, then brandished several quick strikes with the sides of his fist to his gut and chest. He was going for pressure points, if he hadn't been wearing his armor he would have hit them exactly…

Brago was taking to quick of a beating and too much of one from a smaller opponent, he shouldn't have underestimated him.

He compensated for this by spinning his body around in a sweeping motion Master Piando had taught him, letting his sword blade go outward like a copter blade as he spun.

It did work in making Daiken move out of the way, but he wasn't moving back he simply jumped to the side and ran along the walls of the hall in the same stride, the pipes and knobs protruding from the walls made for perfect foot holds and steps like stairs.

Brago only had a second to observe this for Daiken had now kicked off of the wall and brought both Comma's down on him with a clang as he blocked it with his Katana blade. He turned his blade in an attempt to spin the Comma's out of the Daiken's hands, but instead the fluid moving Sand Bender W turned his whole body into a flair flip moving sideways so as to move with his blades. He tried trapping Brago's sword by linking his comma's together around it, not unsimilar to what that terrorist Jet would do with his hook swords. Fortunately these were smaller blades and not as strong to hold his katana so he slid it out easily.

All he needed now was the appropriate distance to give a damning strike to the Sand Nomad with his blade, but he wasn't allowing him that, staying close and using his short range weapons to push him further and further back with defensive moves. He hadn't seen such fire in a boy…who by the looks of him was 15, since his days in the Fire Academy.

Katara this whole time was dodging Mai's knives that were being pelted at her, it was only luck that she wasn't hit as she came up out of that slide she made earlier.

She and Mai both heard Sokka's "Raaaaaaaah!" and Mai spun out of the way of Sokka's machete club which lodged itself in the wall right where her arm was when she was reeling back to throw another dart.

He swung it out of the wall and back at her with another battle cry that should have made its mark, striking her with the blunt side of his weapon and knock her unconscious at the least.

But they were interrupted by a shrill "NO!" and Sokka was kicked out of the way, hard in the back, and right into Katara.

They both looked up to see Ty Lee standing there wide eyed. Katara snarled a little inside at the sight of her.

Ty Lee just stood there, like a confused rabbit squirrel.

"WELL DON'T JUST STAND THEIR TY LEE MOVE!" came Brago's bark as he continued to parry and strike at Daiken.

Ty Lee resumed a fighting stance immediately and advanced at the two…Sokka swung his weapon out defensively, but she evaded it trying to get around them.

Sokka saw Daiken's sand bag on the ground, and heard more guards coming. He picked up his weapon like a bat again and charged with another battle cry.

Mai threw a knife at his head and it nearly grazed his face, but the target wasn't Mai, but the sand bag near her feet as he swung his weapon like a golf club sending it under their feet to Daiken who caught it and immediately squeezed sand out of it and blew it again, causing another mini sand storm cloud to envelop the hallway.

Sokka and Katara had already braced and shut their eyes, and could hear a punch and a kick and the sound of Mai grunting as she was pushed knocked to the ground and a hand take theirs and Daiken's voice saying "This way if you please…"

* * *

Aang meantime was running at super-speed, unhindered by wind resistance, and rocketing passed workers or guards or whoever was in his path.

He literally soared passed them as he cleared whole yards before he set his foot down, reaching a ladder and running straight up it like stairs.

The mass of workmen gawked up at the gold and red blur zip by them and disappear out through the ceiling of the machine.

Now he was on top, out in the open air, he surveyed the hull of the drill before running towards the front of the drill, or the portion that still wasn't inside the wall already.

He thought back quickly to where it would be in relative to the beams they had weakened near the drills power base.

"This seems like a good spot Momo…" he said to his pet, but before he could unfasten the cork of Katara's water pouch, he heard Momo cry out in fright, and Aang looked up just in time to yelp himself and move back before a huge boulder flattered him. The rock bounced off the metal hull then rolled down the side of the drill.

"General Sung!" Aang cried at the top of his lungs, hoping they could hear him above the wall "Stop throwing rocks down here!"

Above him on the wall, General Sung was ironically franticly finishing the order:"Men whatever you do, don't stop pelting rocks down there!"

* * *

Ty Lee ran after Brago and Mai, "OH NO!" She said to herself, "You Moron! Way to go, you just attacked who you're trying to join…They're sure to take you in now!" Still there was that chance if she could get to Aang, she could explain it…

She looked at Mai, at Brago, not really a friend like Azula or Mai were, but a really cute looking…brother like new acquaintance…who now seemed like a best friend now that she knew she may be leaving them all…

* * *

Daiken and Sokka lifted the heavy metal hatch reading "Slurry shoot" above it. "This is it…" Sokka said, "All the water is ejected out of the back of this thing like the spout of a whale walrus."

As it creaked all the way open they saw a rushing river of brownish grayish mush water, roaring under them, only lit by the light coming in through the hatch they'd just opened.

"Bleh…" Sokka said, then heard "MEN YOU GO THIS WAY, MAI, TY, YOU WITH ME!" behind them in the voice of the Fire Nation Lt. Marshall.

Sokka took a deep breath and shut his eyes, then was splashed with mush as Daiken jumped in first pulling Katara and himself with him.

The light from above them vanished as the hatch shut after them and now the only visibility they had was barely the hands in front of their faces, but they were too preoccupied with the slurry that was raging them onward like a torrent in one direction.

Ty Lee, Brago, and Mai rounded the bend just to hear the lid of the hatch shut. "There!" Brago pointed, just as I thought, this way leads to the exhaust rock and sludge out of the back of the craft!"

He opened the hatch and grabbed a lantern off the wall to dangle it inside to see how far down it was.

"It's a harmless drop!" Brago said,

"Are you joking?" Mai said rubbing her shoulders as she backed away, "I am NOT crawling into that wall sludge muck!"

Brago turned to look at her as if to say "_are you being serious?"_  
Then felt a splash as Ty Lee landed into the slush and began paddling furiously down the pipe line.

"Isn't there another way?" Mai asked. Brago didn't feel like arguing and actually did remember one, "The way we came when you were lost, it leads to a cat walk that takes us outside through the back of the vehicle!"

* * *

Katara and Sokka and Daiken finally could see light at the end of the slurry shoot, and no sooner had they seen it up ahead, were they spit out into the light of day, and rolling around in what seemed like a lake of rock sludge.

Sokka helped pick up Katara, or tried before slipping and falling back down himself.

Daiken glanced up at the water fall of wall sludge pour from the back of the drill and said, "Wait…just as we weakened the ship from the outside…"

Katara's eyes lit up, "Maybe we can weaken it from behind too..by building up pressure!"

No sooner had she said that, she saw a flash of pink coming down the pipe that she knew to be the Circus freak Ty Lee.

"Oh no she doesn't…." Katara said glaring.

And Bent the sludge back towards the pipes insides. "Help me!" she said.

Daiken quickly stood to his feet and bent as much of the rock portion of it as he could , resulting in the sludge being kept from reaching the ground and slowly being pushed back up the pipe system with Ty along with it…

Ty Lee coughed and weezed above them trying to yell down to them above the roar of the water that she wanted to help them, that she didn't meant to hurt them, but all her words were lost on the sound of the slurry churning behind her and feeling like a really bad massage on her entire body. One thing she could see bellow her, even though it was around 3 stories down, was the face of the water bending girl, the one she had cut the chi off from….and she could tell she recognized her, just from how she was glaring up at her.

Bellow her Sokka was cheering for Daiken and Katara to keep doing it, and making a fuss about Team Avatar, and not too quit until finally Katara snapped

"Would you be quiet! You're like a chattering howl monkey!" she said.

"JUST BEND THAT SLURRY WOMAN!" Sokka roared in retort, only to be shoved back by a wall of Slurry as Katara pushed her hand out like she was shoving someone.

"You guys need a hand?" They heard a familiar voice say, they all looked to see Toph appearing from underneath the shadows of the drill.

"Toph!" Sokka said spitting out some sludge water, "Help them plug up this pipeline! The compression will make this thing burst!"

Ty Lee now saw the joint efforts of the three benders taking effect as she was pushed further and further up the pipe line, soon it would be over her head.

She shrieked pleading for them to stop, until finally she heard a clanging behind her, and the pipe itself she was in shook and suddenly the unhindered momentum of their bending sent her, and the slurry rocketing in the other direction, back down the pipe, head over heels.

"WE DID IT!" Sokka said outside of the drill, and high fiving Katara and Daiken.

* * *

Aang meanwhile had found a place to finally chop well sized **X** in the metal hull of the drill using the water Katara had lent him.

He hammered at the metal plating again and again, using the water as an axe until he'd finally made a deep enough **X** imprint to reach the focal point over the gears of the machine. He could even see a piece of piping gleaming in the cut he'd just made, the same kind of piping lining the ceiling of the room where he and Katara had sliced beams through.

He stood back smiling at his work, suddenly he saw his shadow grow in front of him, and the metal have blue tint to it.

With only seconds he turned around swiping instinctively outward with a gust of air, just in time to cut through a blast of blue fire headed right for him, it lapped around him and he felt the heat on his cheeks, if he hadn't moved when he did, he'd be charred…

"Momo! Get out of here!" Aang said fixing his gaze on the figure in the distance who was partially in the way of the sun on the other side of the drill.

He could recognize the shape of that hair cut anywhere…it was her alright…Azula, Aang narrowed his eyes too, he wasn't running this time…there was too much at stake…

He could see her more clearly as she motioned closer in her strides, her smirk and piercing supremist eyes bored into him. It was unnerving, and he knew again why Ty Lee would be in fear of her growing up…

Ty…if she was the reason Ty Lee had decided not to change…..suddenly Aang was filled with a new rage…she could have threatened her, or even held her away somewhere in this drill…away from him, a thousand scenario's played through his head making him stare at her with just as much contempt.

Aang made fists then relaxed them into firm ridges, combining Toph's style with his own Crane hand used at the air temple…he still wouldn't react in anger…he had a cool head enough to let her make the first move…

And that first move was on him in the blink of an eye, for Azula whipped her arms around and jetted them towards Aang sending what seemed like two beams of blue light at him that erupted into fire balls when they reached him, turning into one big flame.

Aang side stepped it, shuffling his feet like Toph showed him, and on this steal or iron ground he stood on, it was easier to slide.

In the same motion in bringing his body around he sent a slash of air that he knew could knock the wind out of someone at least three yards in length from side to side at Azula.

But she simply flipped sideways in a flair kick and brought her feet down with a loud TONG sound, and swept her own foot from front to back sending another Fire ball, this time from her feet at Aangs legs, sliding like a flaming carpet. But Aang was ready for this, his toes had already nearly been singed from his experience with her before and he simply stomped his foot down sending out a similar gust of air out from his feet putting it out before it got near him, he also had Katara's water out again, and sent a gush of it out at Azula, hitting her hand and putting out a fire at her finger tips.

He quickly drew out more water and began using the water as a whip like Katara did, and slapped her flames away from her hands every time she attempted to ignite, trying really to just dampen her hands enough to where she couldn't bend as easily.

He could see Azula's smile gone, but this didn't mean she was foiled, only upset, she was going to try something new.

The moment he calculated this she leapt in the air sending two round house kicks his way with each foot mid air, and each of those kicks carried an enormously huge fire ball with it right at him.

Instinctively he put up Katara's water as a shield and it sizzled at the first Fire Ball, making so much steam it got in his eyes, the second fire ball hit and the force blew him back, vaporizing the remaining water.

Aang rolled out of the tumble he took going back, only to See Azula maybe two yards from him, his eyes grew as he put his fists up defensively, but before she could attack she jumped back and so did he them moment he realized why…

Rock's began to rain down on them again, this was the wall guards second volley of boulders, finally they were being useful to him…more or less….HE still had to dodge them too.

He and Azula danced from left to right avoiding the huge rocks, he could see she hadn't taken her eyes off him, trying to find a place to fry him in between rock pelting. He decided to use this to his advantage by purposefully moving to where a rock would be so that it would fall in front of him, giving him enough time to move without her seeing him…and with purpose.

As soon as he was in her blind spot again, he summoned his earth bending and pelted a rock in the direction of Azula as hard as he could.

Azula bent backwards to avoid the rock, and brought her body back up with several more flames rocketing for him.

Aang whipped his arms around and then tucked his them to his sides in a jerking motion, bringing all of the rocks and debris to him like a magnet. Soon there was a rock wall between him and Azula, thick enough to repel the flames for a time. As he predicted, the flames bounced off the wall, he waited for another one, Toph said the best time to strike your opponent was when they are in the process of striking, just like when fighting for real, getting them off balance.

BAM, another flame hit his rock barrier and he began punching the rocks in it furiously, each hit sent a rock the size of his head soaring towards the Fire Nation Princess.

He heard a grunt, one of them had hit her..or nicked her… he peered over the rock wall he'd created to see, but instead of just recoiling from a hit which he'd apparently landed on her side, he saw her recovering from it as if she wasn't hit, and running head long at the barrier as if she was going to ram it.

Suddenly she jumped in the air spinning her body around incredibly fast…nearly as fast as he did when he used wind to cut through the air, and drove both her feet forwards, sending such a large blast of flame that everything he saw seemed illuminated with blue…before there was an explosion of rocks and a feeling like getting hit in the solar plexus.

* * *

Bellow the battle Ty Lee was coming too, she began coughing and choking as she realized she was face down in the now motionless river of sludge. Suddenly she felt two firm hands pulling her out.

She gasped for air the moment her head came up out of the water. Wiping her eyes to get the slurry out of them, she could see Brago holding a lantern, knee deep in the sludge with her.

"I jumped in after you…Mai wouldn't think of it, and I can kinda see why…" he half chuckled, "I could see the light outside but then suddenly the slurry began washing backwards and me with it.."

Ty Lee coughed over and over in response and Brago put a supportive arm under hers, and he helped her up.

"Come on!" he said, we have to move, the water in here is compressing and rising again, it'll come back just as hard out all of the ends!"

Ty Lee followed him as fast as she could "Wait that means…"

"We've lost…" Brago said seriously.

* * *

Aang's eyes flittered open as he came to, laying flat on the hull of the drill. Straining his eyes, he could see the object that was two inches from his face…the pointed boot of Azula, suddenly he felt a hand grab him by the back of his tunic and shove him back into the metal of the hull, making his head make a loud KLONK with horrible pain.

He was then hoisted up to be eye level with the Fire Nation princess as she shoved him up against the wall. His eyes were no longer blurry despite the aching pain he felt in his head, and could see that wicked smirk crawl across her lips again as her face was illuminated by a huge blue flame she was conjuring up in her free hand.

Aang strength returned to him as a rush, she wouldn't win, she wouldn't destroy these people…or him…

He made a fist against the wall he was now shoved against, and immediately any lose rocks or near stones in dislodged themselves and zipped around his hand like a magnet making a solid stone gauntlet and glove.

He pass blocked Azula's strike to his face, grabbing her hand in the process and he could see her face going from shock to enraged pain as he realized he was squeezing her fist with a solid rock hand.

He saw her conjuring up fire in her other hand so he released her hand and grabbed her waist with the huge 3 fingered glove and shoved her back with such force it sent her tumbling.

He spun his body around in a bending form then stopped ridged in a defensive stance Toph used when she was in the arena where he met her, jetting his rock fist out wards towards Azula protecting his face.

Azula growled, spitting some blood she'd gotten from biting her own lip and charged Aang, head down, with hands blazing behind her like a comet's tail.

Suddenly Aang felt the drill underneath him shake and tremble as if there was a torrent underneath their feet. Then without warning, a river of yellowish brown wall slurry exploded from under his feet and from behind him pushing him foreword, and catching him up like a rapid.

I t reached Azula too before she could skid to a stop, making her slip and zip right towards Aang.

Both their eyes grew in size as they flew towards each other unable to stop and their body's smacked together, knocking the wind out of both of them.

The result of this after they both fall over on their backs from the impact was sliding to either the right or the left of the drill towards the edge. Azula slid all the way off before digging her pointed boots into its side and doing her best to stop her sliding completely off, with the sludge on the front of her armor, she stuck to it like a fruit thrown against a wall. Aang on the other hand turned over on his stomach and blew as hard as he could to prop himself up to his feet again, but he was still off balance, and the wind knocked out of him didn't help.

Suddenly he heard the welcome sound of Momo chirping and felt his paws gripping his tunic and helping him the rest of the way up, he blew again in the direction he was sliding and it stopped his momentum and moved him backwards again.

"Thanks Momo!" Aang said turning around and running back up the side of the drill. He ran back to the spot he remembered having made the drill somewhere around, and used water and earth bending to move the slurry out of the way, sure enough, there was the X indent. He used the bending again to clean out the X so he could see the piping again.

"Now all I need is some sort of wedge…like a huge nail…or a stake…." Suddenly a rock from the outer wall defense landed right next to him. "Or this could work too…" he admitted.

He wasted no time in slicing the boulder into the shape of pointed stake with air bending, and lodged it with Earth bending into the center of the X.

Using Earth bending again he flattened the top of the wedge, and then backed up, facing the wall, "Here we go Momo….this is it…" He then kicked off the dry surface of the drill he managed to find and stand on, and jetted towards the wall making everything to the side of him look like a blur.

He summoned his air bending to create a bubble of air to lift him upwards and continue his running momentum up the side of the wall, literally running up it at super speed. He soared upwards, until finally he just relied completely on air bending to keep him going up wards. Finally he gauged the distance was high enough above the drill and he turned his body around as he resumed running again before turning his body around mid run, and began charging full force back down towards the drill.

Bellow him Azula had finally managed to paw her way up the side of the drill and was shaking the slurry out of her hair with a hiss, then saw the wedge lodged in the hull where she and the Avatar last fought.

She squinted her eyes looking for him until she caught the motion of something streaking down the wall towards the wedge…she didn't know what he was up too but she guessed it was to do with stopping the drill….regardless, if she got him now, the war would half be over…she jetted her hands forward at the wedge but couldn't ignite for the amount of slurry on them from climbing back up.

She ran instead at the block full force, wiping her hands on her sides as she ran to get them dry.

Aang could see her charging his newly made wedge and pushed himself to go even faster, he could feel his cheeks fluttering, suddenly he saw Momo streak past him and fly in front of Azula's face making her lose balance mid run. NOW! He jumped off the wall and with all the rock bending strength he could summon along with air pressure, brought himself down on the nail's head he had made on the wedge.

The force drove the pointed rock through the armored hull of the drill making the entire machine vibrate, and send debris in all directions.

As if he had just struck oil, more slurry burst from the place he had just struck and exploded like a geyser , blowing Azula off of the drill completely, and causing a chain reaction of explosions and combustions inside the drill, sending loads full of slurry and steam splashing all along the inside.

Soon the entire machine was reverberating and trembling with internal combustion until the entire device was nearly repainted in slurry, and its own supporter treads gave out, making it sink into the earth from the weight.

Inside in the cockpit, War Minister Qin was wide eyed at the whole event…in bewilderment and terror at the reaction of the Fire Lord…and his daughter…

Aang on the other hand was looking more like a snowman made out of wall sludge as he wiped his eyes off with that huge grin of his.

"Hey Aang!" he heard to the side "Over here!"

He glanced to the side to see the small figures of Toph, Daiken, Sokka, and Katara at the foot of the wall.

He saw Toph and Daiken squat down and come back up making the chunk of earth they stood on go up along the side of the wall like an elevator again. Aang snapped his fingers making an Air bubble and then leapt on it as it carried him towards them.

* * *

Inside the drill, Ty Lee had tried to separate herself from Brago who after hearing she was "Just going to her quarters" said it would be irresponsible for him to let her go there by herself when the integrity of the drill's stability was in question. Of all the times to be a gentlemen…

They were headed down the cat work leading to the outer wall of the machine, sludge sloshed their feet and Brago was minding not to slip not far behind.

Suddenly they could hear a voice outside, "I'm coming guys!" it was faint but Ty recognized it immediately.

"AANG!" she said, and ran as fast as she could for the outer door, she didn't know what hope there would be for a subtle integration into his ranks now…but she just had to see him, knowing he'd been aboard all this time and not even seeing him….she had to at least see him! She heard Brago slip behind her making her run all the faster to get there first…

She burst out of the hatch on the side, nearly falling as she saw that the catwalk outside the vessel was slanted and hanging partially from the side.

Her eyes zipped from left to right trying to find where the voice came from, then suddenly she caught the motion at the top of the wall in the distance. It was falling rocks, large rocks.

As she strained to peer at where they dropped from, she could see it was platform of earth…and just disappearing were the backs of the heads of Aang and his friends.

"HEY!" She called waving her hands franticly.

Suddenly a hand grasped the railing of her catwalk with a clang that made her jump back with a yelp, right into the arms of Brago.

She could see pulling herself onto the catwalk, looking like a cat out of the rain and furious…was Azula, snarling audibly.

Suddenly a hatch next to them opened and Mai was seen inside leaning on her elbows,

"We lost…" she said.

* * *

Inside the wall, Zuko and Iroh were shoulder to shoulder with several other refugees entering the city.

Iroh turned to look at a woman hushing her baby, new born by the looks of her…

"What a beautiful child…" he commented kindly. "You are very lucky…"

She smiled at him with a warm look and said,

"Yes…yes we are….thank you."

Even Zuko had to give a glance at the adorable face bundled in her arms.

"What is his or her name?" Iroh asked.

"Hope…" the husband said.

Iroh smiled "Fitting name…" he said in that sage wise voice he had every so often.

Zuko turned his head, determined not to be pulled in by the emotionaless of the moment.

* * *

On the wall itself, Aang was looking out over the horizon, he saw cloud resembling Appa he blew his Bison call.

"I'll find you buddy…" he said. He then looked down at the drill that looked no bigger than his arm from that high up.

Why wasn't she there…? What if she was and he just missed her…? He felt a supportive hand on his shoulder and looked to the side to see Katara.

"I know you will…" she said smiling.

He smiled back at her, hugging her back. He enjoyed the warm hug for what it was…knowing why he'd missed it, he'd saved the city…and his friends. That should be enough…so why was his mind reeling with idea's of finding an excuse to go back down and see if she was there?

Katara meanwhile was hugging him back with equal zeal…biting her lip, glad that her Aang was safe….getting the thoughts of that circus girl trying to call to her out of her head…


	39. Chapter 39

New Barrings 

"Lee…Lee, wake up!"

Iroh's chiding finally did the trick as Prince Zuko, now going by Lee awoke on the seat of the stone monorail he and his uncle were riding.

"Are we there yet?" Zuko asked frustrated as he had finally gotten to a point where he was comfortable enough to catch some Z's after their day, not to mention the babies of the refugees had stopped crying long enough for him to fall to sleep.

"Yes…yes we are!" Iroh said kindly. Zuko unwillingly sat up and glanced out the window. It was amazing…it was like seeing an entire world as far as the eye could see. There were metropolises in the Fire Nation to be sure, but none so fast that it looked like it covered each end of the world, and all of this behind a great wall…

"Looks like a new world away from the world does it not nephew…?" Iroh said smiling.

Zuko said nothing.

"Here.." Iroh continued, "Here we will be able to make a new life for ourselves…"

* * *

Ty Lee began brushing her hair, she sighed at herself as she looked in the mirror. They were at a Fire Nation out post and her and Mai were sharing a room, a lot more spacious then her quarters within the drill. Still they had to share space, and things, thank goodness not a bed, apparently Ty Lee was known to cuddle in her sleep, and Mai would have none of that.

She looked at herself with sad eyes. What was she to do now? She'd lost Aang Twice now, once when she let him go off the blimp, and two when she let him slip out of her fingers on the drill. She knew she had to let him go the first time. But this time she could have made it, could have found him if she'd been a little faster…but now there was a wall between him and her, and not just any wall…Ba Sing Se, the impenetrable city.

Even more then that…she saw the look on the face of the Water Bending girl who was bending her back into the pipes…that wasn't just hatred of someone who was Fire Nation, it was contempt, she recognized her and knew her…did she know how Aang felt, or how she felt about him? More than likely she just recognized her handy work on the paralyzed bodies they pooled from the battle field. She had cut off her chi before…and, she remembered now, from her time on the mountain…Aang and her had…

…well, that chance was shot now, if she did mean something to him then, Ty's actions now would most defiantly put a nail in that coffin. But…this was Aang, he was so different, so…refreshingly comforting, and noble and so new, and…. so…amazing.

It was no wonder that water bending girl wouldn't want to share him, she was amazing herself, everything she wasn't; naturally beautiful, smart, a real friend from the start, patient….good. More than any of that though, she wasn't trapped with a wall between her and him…she didn't feel like her chest was bleeding internally thinking of him…

The doorknob suddenly turned and she quickly wiped some moistness from her eye that she just now realized was there, taking in a breath to swallow a sob, and pretended like she was finishing taking off make up.

Mai entered, rubbing her face. Just please don't look in the mirror…please…

She sauntered over to her bed and slumped in it groaning a little. That was an Azula moan, she recognized it, there was "It's been a painful day" groans, then there were Azula Groans.

Ty Lee would have asked her what the matter was but didn't want to cheat her façade of not sniffing.

"Ty?" she heard Mai say. Mai never started a conversation, oh no, she knew something was up!

"Hmm?" she said in reply in a squeak.

"Could you wake me up in an hour?" Mai asked turning over.

Ty Lee breathed out, "Oh…o-okay sure…" she stammered out. She heard Mai's mumble as she put a pillow over her face.

Ty Lee let out another sigh of relief at the mirror, in its reflection she could see a letter in Mai's pocket.

If only there was a way to get a message to Aang..but she was dreaming again it was impossible, unless they conquered Ba Sing Se, she would never see him again, and even then, how would she know if he could ever see her the same again…

* * *

Meanwhile behind that very wall, Aang and his gang were departing from their own stone trolley and taking in the vast city.

"Wow…" said Sokka "This place is amazing…"

Toph spoke up, "Yeah I could feel its size through the amount of feet stomping on the ground, this place is immense."

Daiken spoke next, simply saying "It seems so…crowded…"

Aang took in the great sight too, but his mind was elsewhere…he gripped his bison call around his neck as he looked up at the clouds. He also heard the sound of a girl laughing as she got off the train with her father….the sound didn't sound exactly like Ty Lee's, but enough like it to make him sigh remembering her.

Katara on the other hand regarded this knowing exactly what he was thinking and didn't say a word until finally turning to Sokka saying "So! What's the next plan of action for Team Avatar?"

This snapped everyone out of their individual zones except for perhaps Sokka who was simply glad that someone other than him liked the concept of "Team Avatar."

"Alright, so let's count our turtle ducks…we have the map, we have the plans, we have our skins, and we're inside the wall…that's saying something, our next move is to tell the Earth King about Sozins Commit. That drill thingy only showed that the Fire Nation has gotten even more aggressive. We need to find someway to contact the Earth King…"

"Everyone back away from the tracks please!" the conductor said suddenly and Aang and his gang did so with the rest of the refugees who had gotten off.

The Earth Benders on the back of the car's began their work and soon the giant cab was rolling down the rails, picking up speed and leave a cloud of dust in its wake.

"I believe I can help you…" came a quaint, yet oddly sounding female voice.

They all turned behind them to see a woman, defiantly an adult but young looking enough to be in her 20's. She was adorned in what looked like an official or royal garment. All of this seemed irrelevant to the fact that the first thing they noticed about her was her welcoming smile….only this smile was a cross between an excited grin, and…something that made them frankly jump when they saw her.

"My name is Judi…" she said walking up to them and bowing. "I have been given the great honor of escorting the Avatar around Ba Sing Se, as well as answer any questions you may have, is there any particular thing you wish to start with?"

Sokka was the first to speak up, "We have crucial information for the Earth King regarding the safety of Ba Sing Se and defeating the Fire Nation!"

Judi's smile did not once leave her face as she replied in an almost cute voice, "Excellent, let us begin our tour." And just like that, she turned and walked towards a waiting Cab at the curb.

Everyone blinked wondering if they simply heard her wrong, Sokka caught up to her in confusion and again said,

"Ma'am, maybe I wasn't clear, the safety of Ba Sing Se? We need to speak to the Earth king!"

Judi simply turned around while he was talking to face him, waiting his sentence out, then still with that frozen smile said "You are in Ba Sing Se now, everyone is safe here…"

Aang and his friends were ferried around in an arguably luxurious cab along with Judi through the streets, it was like a mini furnished room with enclosed space with a curtained window looking out.

Momo was animatedly hanging upside down from the unlit lantern hanging from the cabs roof.

Katara noticed something about the streets as they were pulled along in the cab, it was…literally like looking into another world, outside the cab it dirty, dank, the streets were muddy, the clothes of what she guessed were commoners were old or worn or torn. She'd thought perhaps these were the ragged new comers and refugies from outside the wall, but as she and the rest saw the state of the apartments and shops and homes, it was obvious the living conditions were no different, and it went on for what seemed like miles worth of blocks.

"Careful not to get soiled by the mud splashing from the wheels.." Judi said sweetly as she sat back in her seat, her grin ever present.

Katara was about to remark about her observations when her eyes fell upon Another wall behind the larger houses.

"What's that wall?" she asked pointing.

Judi leaned slightly forward looking out the window, "Oh that is the border of the lower Ring, the first level of Ba Sing Se we are now riding through."

"The first Level?" Daiken asked.

Judi turned to Daiken, "In Ba Sing Se there are many walls, the ones outside protecting us, and the ones inside that maintain order."

Daiken nodded slightly, and in a hushed tone that only Toph could hear he mumbled "More like _class_ then order it would seem…"

Toph nodded back, not knowing afterwards if he noticed or was even talking to her in a way only she could pick up….why was this Nomad so mysterious?

Aang leaned both his elbows out the window like a little kid would if they were bored on a road trip somewhere. He was taking all of the drudgery in himself.

"This is where our newest arrivals come…" Judi continued, "As well as our Craftsmen, builders and Artisans; people who work with their hands…"

Aang saw a few refugie children helping their father unload some things out of their mother's large pack on her back, one of the children looked at their Royal carriage as it road by, and waved to Aang when he made eye contact. Aang smiled back and waved perking up a bit.

"It's so quaint isn't it?" Judi finished.

Katara's view however was taken up by a whole new set of peoples, these ones were in an ally setting up their camp it looked like next to some other tents against the walls. They were smoking something in the ally's dim light, and sharpening blades, ones she knew weren't for plowing or chopping would. One of the men glanced up from his blade looking right at them as they passed by with a sneer.

"You may want to watch your step though…" Judi added cautiously, her smile dwindling a smidge.

"Why do you have all the poor people blocked off?" Katara asked frowning, not being able to keep the question floating in her head unspoken.

"Oh I don't know…how about classifying people to just one part of the city." Toph said folding her arms.

"In the name of Order of course…" Daiken said, Toph slightly grinned at that. But Judi seemed unphased by their comments as if they had gone over her head and simply continued grinning.

"This was why I never came here…" Aang said sadly, "The Monk's said it was so different from how they taught us to live, everyone being seen as equal…."

He looked at their tour guide and saw her unmoved smile as they plodded along. He sighed and felt Katara's hand on his squeezing it supportively.

He smiled at her in return to hers. Without having to speak she was telling him "_things will change when your done, I know they will, I know you can…"_ He lived for that look, it kept him going…maybe he should start counting his blessings a little more…its just with Ty Lee…her hurting those men, not knowing yet where Appa was, this place…everything….he just wanted this to be over already and to have some answers.

He shut the curtain of their cab and sat back in his seat, squeezing her hand back.

* * *

Zuko and Iroh walked along the streets of Ba Sing Se's lower ring, keeping their eyes open for the apartment they were to stay at for the night until they could find a job. Well at least Zuko was anyway, his uncle had fallen behind at some market store, most likely to buy some more exotic Tea, although he already had a satchel full of it.

The old man could catch up with him at the address, he just wanted to stop walking in these revolting streets.

Suddenly a royal carriage road in front of him, inside was a grinning woman and some other people, he caught that right before the curtain was drawn. Heh, to think, that would have been him and his sister in a carriage, with his father shutting the drapes on the lower people, and now here he was…the lower class of a Kingdom that wasn't even his.

He waited for the vehicle to pass by, and suddenly saw his uncle walking up next to him with an…exoticly large potted plant, stems and pedals that looked nearly as tall as him.

He had no words, he simply gave a look out the side of his scarred eye, to indicate, that he had no words.

"I just want our new place to look spiffy…" Iroh said in his merry way as they walked together now.

"Especially if someone brings home a lady friend…." He finished his last words stressing them, and nudging his Nephew with his elbow and giving a non subtle wink.

Zuko just shrugged his arm out of the nudge as they walked with a jerk,

"Place to live? This City is a prison, I don't want to start a new life here…" he said in his usual monotone sulky way.

"Life is wherever you make it my Nephew." Iroh said keeping a stem of his new potted plant up, "Besides, the florist I bought this from is related to a landlord, as well as a restaurant tea house, and cued us up with two new Jobs."

Zuko looked up from the ground he'd been staring at as they walked, "You mean?..." he half moaned.

"That's right!" Iroh said, we start first thing this evening, just enough time to get moved in. I told you that destiny would smile upon those who seek to make their own."

The two continued on down the road, while a few yards behind them in the crowd of refugies, shadowed Jet and his freedom fighters.

Suddenly there was a break in the crowd as several in the front went their separate ways to the side, leaving a gap between Jet's gang and Iroh and his nephew.

Jet and his crew hid behind an alleyway to watch them go on, for fear of it being obvious they were tailing them if they continued to follow.

"Just look at them…" Jet sneered, "Fire benders living right under everyone's noses…"

Smellerbee walked right into the open, hands on her hips. "Jet.." she said shaking her head.

"Bee!" Jet said anxiously for her to come back.

"You saw a guy with hot tea, your making too much out of nothing." She insisted.

Jet stepped out too, realizing how paranoid and even suspicious he was acting, "No!" he insisted back, "He heated it himself!"

"Jet, I thought you said we were coming to Ba Sing Se to start over…to be respectable citizens…" Smeller Bee protested.

Jet looked from her to Longshot, "I know, I know…" he said to him, "And we are, believe me, we're just following them for a while and if they do something suspicious we'll inform the authorities…ok?"

Longshot looked at Smellerbee, they both knew he was saying it to convince himself more than either of them…and was doing a terrible job.

* * *

Soon Aang and his band had made a near half revolution around the outer ring and was now at the second level, which again looked like an entire new city. Ba Sing Se was nearly a country of country's by the looks of it anyway.

This area however was cleaner by far, with white cobble stone instead of dirt for roads, the dirt roads that were there, were all swept, and clean, the people were more fashionably dressed, the air was hardly as dusty, and the houses were a sight for sore eyes. There were public parks that looked gorgeous, office buildings that stood above the rest of the homes and businesses, statues in town squares of certain Earth Bending Generals, or a Duck Billed Platypus Bear, or a fountain in front of a residence or hotel.

"This is the Middle Ring District, this is where the financial establishments are, as well as Five Gong restaurants, and University's." Judi said as they road over a bridge over looking a water way that they could see boats piloting down with passengers or private yachters.

"University…" Sokka said, "You know we actually met someone from your university's. He was a professor of history and journeyed with us to a **secret underground temple** where we found a **weakness of the Fire Nation and a plot against this city that it is CRUCIAL to tell the Earth King about!**" Sokka said in one, very quick breath, he had also progressively inched closer to their tour guide as if she were deaf as he bellowed, she was certainly acting like it.

But once again, his plea was met with a simplistic frozen smile as she replied, "Isn't history a treasure? Oh look!" she said pointing past Sokka out the window of their cab.

"Here is one of the oldest buildings in the Middle Ring, Town Hall itself…!" she said as she pulled the cord that hung from the cab ceiling, signaling the driver to make a stop. He pulled on the ostrich horses reigns and they came to a halt.

Before Sokka or any of the group could say anything, she opened the door and let herself out, standing to the side for them to do the same.

"Is she hard of hearing?" Sokka asked, "She's ignoring everything I say!"

"It's called being handled…" Toph said unfolding her arms, "I can hear it in her voice, get used to it…" she groaned.

"It is all over her face…" Daiken said, "Her words are not her own…"

"You mean like rehearsed?" Katara asked.

"That's exactly what he means." Toph said.

* * *

Meanwhile, miles away outside the wall, Suki lay in wait on the porch of an old Inn, she was dressed like an old woman, attempting to blend in with the scene, she had on a shawl that covered all of her kyoshi armor, and a basket hat that covered her face, she even bought a pipe off of a stranger for a few stones.

No one had noticed her this whole time so it was worth the stones in her opinion, she had the tell for her friends to see, it was a stick with a bag tied to it with the characters R and K on it, her warriors would understand the meaning and identify her.

Suddenly she heard the patter of ostrich horses, and looked from underneath her basket hat, several riders approached, some of them bearing bows, too small to be men, they had come.

She stood, seeing no one was around, and went around too the back of the Inn. Her sisters road behind it as well after her.

She threw her disguise aside as they dismounted approached her.

"My sisters!" she said embracing them.

They hugged her back but had a look in their eyes that unnerved her.

"What is the matter?" Suki demanded, "You look like the lot of you saw a ghost."

They all looked from one to the other, then Myisho spoke up, "Mistress Suki, on the way back…we saw something….shocking."

"What was it?" Suki asked, worried herself now.

"Well…it was a village, attacked by Earth Bending Mercinaries…" Myisho said.

Suki just nodded, sure that wasn't all.

Myisho contiued"They had been delivered by two do gooders, but, then afterwards, someone came looking for them, said that he was part of…a circus or something…"

"Someone we think we passed on the way to see you mistress…" Twan-Ni cut in.

Suki looked from one to the other, waiting for the boom.

"Whoever it was…" Myisho said slowly, "They burned an old man of the village, inside and outside….his eyes were gone, like they'd been cooked out."

Suki tensed, the Fire Nation were brutal but this, that would have meant they took the time to burn them all the way through, this was torture….

"And one man did this?" she inquired.

They all nodded.

"And your sure this person you passed was him?" she asked.

Twan-Ni spoke up, "We don't know…there was an unease on him as we passed, we could all feel it couldn't we?" the sisters nodded.

"And you believe that he's on his way to the Earth Kingdom capital?" Suki asked.

"We think he's already here…" Miysho said, "He would have made it to the ferries and to shore before we could double back from the town to make the trip ourselves."

Suki frowned thinking, "Alright, I don't know who this person is but I don't like it, some nut case product of the war or no, he's not going to take another life, keep your eyes open for whoever this is, look closely at the refugees as you help them reach the great wall, I heard rumors of the Fire Nation using some great machine to try to raise it to the ground."

Her sisters all bowed to her.

"Is there anything else?"

Twan-Ni spoke up, "I found this me lady." She said presenting what looked like white fluff.

"It was by a strain of broken trees in one of the forests we passed."

Suki looked at it, "It can't be…" she said. "Appa's fur!" she suddenly exclaimed.


	40. Chapter 40

Grrr(My apologies for a spelling error in previous chapters, one of which being the spelling of the name Judi, it is actually Joo Dee, I had forgotten. For continuity's sake ill still call her Judi to avoid confusion. But will convert the name next chapter to Joo Dee.)

Unexpected Stranger

Azula slammed her hand down on the desk,

"Damn it!" she hissed, every turn, every advantage she'd had before had gone down the drain, and all she had to show for it, was an over sized piece of Fire Nation scrap medal that was now being commandeered by the Earth Kingdom as we speak.

No doubt the Avatar was being lead through the streets as National Hero this very minute…

* * *

Aang and his friends were finally lead to the third level, and or inner Ring.

Here, it simply looked like a Palace City, EVERY street was swept, clean, cobblestone, some of them Ivory white. The houses looked like Mansions mostly…and if it wasn't a mansion, it was a center or club house or ballroom that resembled a monastery simply by the gold engraving and detail to architecture.

And the people, they were all dressed finely, in robes or tunic's that were obviously fashionable or custom, the women were all striking from the amount of attention to detail there was in their make up and hair.

Sokka gave a double take looking out the window at them passing by, twirling their umbrella's and giggling.

Aang raised an eye brow smiling a bit, nothing more. Katara just rolled her eyes. Daiken didn't even look out the window, and Toph, smiled.

"This is the upper ring…" Judi said smiling, "Our most important citizens live here. Your house is not far from here…"

"Really?" Sokka said in surprise, sounding a bit pleased. Aang didn't react, it was evident being pampered or spoiled didn't phase him, Katara felt the same…although the thought of perhaps wearing one of those dresses wasn't especially horrifying to think about. Toph on the other hand almost looked upset at this,

"Great…" she said.

They passed a large wall behind, that spanned what looked like half a mile or so, with gold and what appeared to be Jade in different area's of it in the shape of Great fish or badger moles.

"What's behind that wall?" Katara asked, Judi was prompt with her answer;

"Behind this wall, is the palace itself or the many walls before it."

Toph grumbled, even walls have walls protecting the walls, rules and more boundaries…"

Daiken's attention was on something else entirely

"And who are they?" he asked narrowing a brow.

They gang all peered out to find a group of men standing in an archway between two of the statues, all in wide brimmed black hats with green t tassels hanging from them like pony tails. Their robes were also black with the green insignia of the Earth Kingdom on their vests and shoulders…and with looks on their faces that could shatter glass.

"Yeah who are those mean looking guys?" Sokka said.

Judi 's smile once again dwindled a tad before returning, "Oh those are the Dai Li, they are the cultural authority of Ba Sing Se, they are agents who act as an elite constables that help maintain order and reduce crime within the city."

"So…they aren't royal guards?" Katara asked.

"More like Secret police…" Toph murmured.

"Can we please see the King now?" Aang said a bit more annoyed than usual.

Judi let out a chortle-like laugh and chuckled, "Oh no don't be silly, one simply does not "Pop in" on the Earth King."

Everyone in the group looked at each other with a look that meant they all knew this was coming, but didn't like it being verbalized all the same.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Malsho Tea Shop, Zuko and Iroh were busy getting acquainted with their no positions as Tea servers and cooks.

Zuko was to be the Janitor, and dish washer and heavy lifter, while he didn't like the floor mopping aspect, he didn't mind having to carry boxes from one part of the building to the next, he hadn't gotten enough weight lifting as it was.

Iroh of course was to be a Tea server and preparer, as well as the one who takes the orders of people coming in.

"Well you certainly look like Tea Servers, who do you feel?" the meek looking resteraunt owner asked, twirling his stringy mustache.

Zuko looked at his apron, "Ridiculous…" he said honestly, and semi-under his breath.

Iroh however was still attempting to get his own apron on…and around his whole body which was proving to be difficult.

All the while outside near an open window was the ever glaring Jet, arms folded, listening in for ANYTHING to justify his suspicions….he heard the old man growling a little.

Jet darted his head quickly around the corner of the window, still staying secluded but now looking in to the shop.

"Can this robe come in a…larger size?" Iroh said as he gave up attempting to tie the back portion of his Apron around himself.

"There's some extra string in the back…" the store owner said politely, "Here…" he poured them both some of the Tea he had been brewing into a pair of cups for the customers, "Have some tea while you wait."

He walked quaintly into the back through the swinging doors.

"How kind…" Iroh said realizing the courtesy of letting them have some tea out of good cups first day on the job.

Jet just kept peering at the two, they'd slip up again, it wasn't that easy to hide under everyone's nose…not if someone was watching and waiting for a giveaway.

Suddenly Iroh made a horrid face after sipping a mouth full of tea heartily.

"Bleh, they call this Tea?" Iroh said, "This is nothing more than….then hot…watery leaf juice!" he said sounding disgusted.

Zuko didn't even drink his putting his own cup down, "Uncle…" he said hitting his face with his palm, "ALL tea…is like that."

Iroh gave his nephew a look as if he'd been betrayed and shook his head ashamedly.

"I cannot believe a member of my own family could say something SO awful…" Iroh said grabbing up the Tea pot the drink had been poured from.

Zuko simply kept his hand on his face, shaking his head as Iroh walked passed him on a mission.

"We're going to have to make some changes around here if this place is expected to be called a Tea House…" Iroh said determined.

Jet realized he was coming this way, he ducked back around next to the window to avoid being seen, then jumped covering his own yelp with his mouth as Hot Tea poured out the window and onto his foot.

Jet hopped back until he fell on his seat , yelling obsenaties into his hand, as red in the face as he was in his foot.

Longshot and SmellerBee came up behind him with some food they'd bought.

"How's the inquiry going?" Smellerbee asked, not needing sarcasm in her voice to imply it.

Jet took his hand off his mouth and then glared up at his comrades after sneering at the Tea House.

He glanced up at Longshot who looked at him sideways. "Shut up…" he huffed while standing up.

* * *

Finally Aang and his friends made it to the House. It was nothing short of beautiful, and even despite the fact they all knew they were being lead on, they had to admit it would be no effort to enjoy staying there if even for an evening. The only ones not impressed were of course Toph and Daiken.

"Ah.." Daiken suddenly said.

"What?" asked.

"Lilly pads." Daiken said.

Toph raised brow, "Uh…" she asked.

Daiken was looking at the pool and fountain display in the front of their home.

"I'd never seen one…" Daiken said sincerely, "And now I have."

That was that, as if he had crossed something off of his list for things to do in life.

"Okay…" Katara said.

"OH good news!" Judi suddenly said excitedly.

She was finishing reading from a scroll that a runner messenger had just given her.

"Your request to have an audience with the Earth King has been processed, and should be put through….in about a month…."

Everyone stared gawk eyed…

"A lot more quickly than usual!" She added raising a finger.

Sokka was the first to erupt, "A whole month?" he asked waving his arms about.

"Mmm more like 2 to 6 weeks actually." Judi corrected with an outrageously large grin.

Inside the house, the group was looking everything over, the inside was, lavish, great carpets, or polished stone floors or bamboo fold out rugs, a fountain inside the house, drawers filled with clean clothes.

"I don't understand…" Daiken said, "It would seem that the Avatar's message if he was this important, would take priority amongst others in regards to seeing the King…especially if it has to do with the war going on outside these very walls."

Judi bowed saying, "The Earth King is very busy managing the affairs of the most powerful city in the world, but he will meet with you as time permits. I hope you'll all enjoy your stay?"

"We'd enjoy it more if we weren't…just stuck here for so long…" Aang said.

"I say we all stretch our legs and look around ourselves." Katara said.

"Of course!" Judi said, "It will be my honor to escort you."

"We do not need a baby sitter…" Toph said imitating her and walking towards the door.

Judi quicker than they thought she could move in that long dress was in front of the door, not in a blocking way, but defiantly in a way that indicated they shouldn't go without her.

"Oh but I am your seer, and not providing you with assistance along the way would be dishonorable, and make me a bad host…where shall we begin?" she said politely.

* * *

Fire Nation Outpost 2117 Z.

Azula was working out in the gym provided for the troops there, she had taken off her armor and was now in a simple dojo tunic , skillfully jumping from punching bag to punching pad, in fluid yet sharp motions.

"5 targets under 4 seconds…" she huffed taking a breath, "I need to be quicker…"

That little insipid Ty…she could take out each target under 4 seconds flat, all of them, she was that good, what made her so…liquid?

Sure she trained for years with the circus but…Azula had trained since her father had noticed she was good at winning fights…since she was 3.

Her father had always said how crushing your opponent physically as well as elementally was a key to true success…and if she wasn't near Ty's level…

Huh, listen….Ty's level? She was thinking too hard, fighting was maybe the ONLY area she was more skilled. And even with that, she could easily smite her with bending, as were other benders couldn't, it was her bending that mastered her, mastered her brothers, even her uncles….she was a true born in the line of Azulon.

Azula turned around to see Brago by the door, also in a button down tunic but it was primarily unbuttoned towards the top.

"Officer?" Azula asked putting a hand on her hip.

"Nothing to report ma'am…" he said. "I was going to utilize the gym…"

"No need to be so formal Officer…" Azula said rolling her eyes, "Simply say you want to use the damn gym…"

"With all due respect it's not the way to talk to your commander and princess, and if so…why are you referring to me as Officer?" Brago said raising a brow.

Azula looked at the ceiling, "Touche…very well you may continue calling me your highness if it suits you better."

Brago just stood there, acknowledging what she said but not responding except for a slight bow of affirmation.

"Oh yes…I'm presently using the bags but I'll be finished soon…" she said.

He bowed again lower this time, "Thank you your grace." He said.

He stood more to his back to the wall, she raised a brow then remembered when she'd patted his behind and smirked.

"You can watch if you wish…" she said turning around with her hands on her hips before stretching.

Brago simply stood there, "I've no preference me lady."

"Or shirt underneath that robe…" Azula thought.

"You may let me know if anything I am doing is off, _Sir Specialist_." She began leaping from bag to bag, unleashing vicious hits to each one in sequence, making sure her timing was right.

She ended with a back leg kick to one of the bags on sticks and sent it off the stick with a spray of stuffing and sand.

"Good form." Brago said.

Azula bent back up after landing in a crouch from her kick. "But?" Azula said.

"Nothing ma'am…" Brago said, "Your form is mostly Dragon's tale style, like a whip, your moves were without casualty to your form."

Azula nodded, she wanted to ask "As fast as Ty?" but wouldn't be caught dare saying something that blatant.

"How…" she began, "Fast was it in comparison…?"

Brago leaned off the wall, "Too what?"

Azula wiped her forehead, "Someone you've seen perform with expert timing?"

Brago thought, "Speed, hmmm…your at the rate of above average by far, defiantly one of the swiftest, which has always been better then speed in my book."

That wasn't the answer she was going for but took it.

"Very well soldier your relieved, I'm going to retire to the showers and I expect to see you afterwards…"

She picked up her towel, "At the conference meeting tonight." she finished quickly.

Brago was at ease knowing the rest of her sentence and what she meant.

He bowed once again as she passed then went into the gym himself, he took off his tunic shirt and threw it on the broken post a punching bag had once been on.

He stretched a little flexing, then heard the patter of feet behind him, he turned around to see the last of Azula leaving the door way quickly.

* * *

Aang and his gang arrived at the Golden Badger Bear University, with their "chaperone" Judi in tow of course…

They saw several students bustling about the court yard of the large school, carrying scrolls or talking amongst each other, some drawing, others writing on stone tables set up on the grass.

Aang saw an affable looking young man, just finishing his studying on the University steps by the look of it, he was maybe a little taller than Aang by a bit, looked twice as harmless, and wore little spectacles that made his small eyes seem larger than they were.

"Excuse me…" Aang said approaching him, the Young man looked up from his scrolls and positioned his spectacles more upwards on his nose.

"Hello young sir…" he said meekly.

Aang was about to say more but Sokka cut in, "This is the Avatar, we met with a professor here, by the name of Zei, do you know of him or his work?"

The Young man thought for a second, "Th-the name does sound familiar…" he admitted, then suddenly spoke a little louder, "But nothings coming to mind thus far." He finished.

Sokka put a hand on his hip, "And where would any professor's be on the history of the Fire Nation?"

The student looked up at him with wide eyes, and briefly shifted his glance, Aang looked behind him to see Daiken glaring out the corner of his eye, and directed his own gaze with his behind them.

Judi was still smiling broadly but her head was just coming out of what looked like a headshake.

Aang turned back to the Young student,

"I-I…I'm not the authority on who would be in charge of that….a-a-nd it's not my major so…I should probably go, class starts in a few minutes!"

And with that, he picked up his little chalk board and pallet and brush, with all of his scrolls under his arms, and made a dash for the exit of the courtyard.

"Aww…" Judi said, "I suppose we shall have to wait patiently after all. Do not worry, Ba Sing Se has the finest Opera Houses, Arena's, centers, and libraries."

Daiken almost opened his mouth to say something, but Toph put a hand in front of him,

"We should at least look for Appa…" Aang said frustrated. He looked at his Bison whistle as he said this.

Katara looked at him sadly as he blew into it at the air, then waited.

She knew somehow Appa wouldn't' show, but like Aang they were all hoping to see that huge figure passing over the sun and blocking it momentarily before it descended upon them and nuzzled them lovingly…he had become such a companion, such a friend, basically he was one of the Gang, just, bigger…

Aang sighed and hung his head, Katara put a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"We can inquire at the local animal shelters, sometimes they pick up stray beasts who turn up unexpected…" Judi said smiling.

Sokka put another hand on Aang's arm, "Come on…it's worth a try…"

Aang nodded.

He turned to Judi, "Which way to the shelter…?" he asked.

She smiled, "It is 3 blocks from the Shimmering Spring foundry…" she answered promptly.

She knew what was going on and he knew too, he wanted directions so he could fly there himself, and the group was willing to let him go alone…but she wasn't about to let any of them leave without an escort..not yet it seemed.

"Can you point us in the sufficient direction?" Daiken asked irritably.

Judi bowed, "It would be my honor, but would be more comfortable if we had the driver take us."

Katara butted in, "Not that we aren't greatful, ma'am, but…"

Aang sighed, "Never mind Katara…let's just go.."

They arrived later at the Animal shelter.

Aang walked straight up to the manager without a moment's hesitation, the store was abuzz with the sound of chirping and growling and all sorts of noises from the numerous creatures in the shelter's werehouse of cages.

Aang spoke in a volume that could easily be heard above the clamber.

"Have you seen a great Sky Bison? Curved horns, the one on the right not as much due to running into a mountain, Buffalo-goat milk white fur and…"

The store manager shook his head, "I'm sorry young man but, I haven't seen anything in the family of a flying Bison anywhere, and no one's reported anything, all animal complaints or anomalies come to us…"

Aang looked more upset then dejected for a minute, then returned to his depressed look.

The manager bit his lip, "But if anything turns up we'll alert you, there are other shelters throughout the city, and anything overly strange or fantastic is reported to us by currier bird."

Aang smiled, "Thank you…" he said genuinely taking the man's hand. "If there's anything the Avatar can do for you…let me know."

The manager smiled nodding then looking to the side said, "Um….perhaps if you could begin by taking your Lemur-bat away from the Sparrow-keet feed, he's upsetting them.

Aang looked to see Momo using one of his winged paw's to shield his large eye's while the other one desperately tried to get at the tub of Sparrow-keet feed without being pecked by it's angry residence.

Aang smiled sheepishly, and put his arm up, "Here Momo, we aren't getting Appa from here today…"

Momo made a depressed noise, and fluttered over to Aang's arm.

They all walked out of the store still slightly disheartened but happy that someone had been genuine with them.

"Well there you have it…" Judi said, "If he is anywhere in the city, you will be notified immediately."

"Thank you." Aang said to her in a way that said that he had nothing to thank her for.

Aang looked out the corner of his eye at the sun "It's sun's going down…" he said.

"You should rest…" Daiken suggested. Toph seemed to perk up at the mention of that.

"I'm fine…" Aang said, Katara bit her lip.

"I'm more inclined to agree with Daiken here Aang…you just took down an entire drill this morning with maybe a little bit of sleep on the monorail ride over here…"

Aang was about to object but saw Katara looking at him with pleading eyes, he couldn't help but …not frown at them, even if he couldn't fully smile.

"Alright, you all could due with a good rest…let's all head back…" Aang concluded.

Toph suddenly nudged Aang, "Yeah, I'm bushed, I'd much rather get off my feet then all this searching."

Aang looked peculiarly at her at first then realized what Daiken and now she meant, they should pretend to be tired and then when Judi had left…hopefully…they could resume the search.

* * *

Meanwhile across town, Zuko was laying on his cot with his legs straight up and against the wall. It was his break being that the evening was upon them, and he had gotten the serving area spotless, his uncle knew he needed one, finally some time not to be bothered.

He was looking the wooden ceiling and the strange shapes there were in it, and began to see faces and images in it.

He remembered doing this with his mother when he was small, finding the odd patterns in wood and finding what thing it looked like.

He put his hands behind his head and looked on.

He saw what looked like a dragon out of the swivel in the wood, and then another pattern that looked like the backs of warriors helmets marching….then he saw one that looked swirly, in pattern of waves. He was sure he'd seen it before…

Yes…yes he had…it was on that…necklace thing that that Water Bending girl, Katana or something wore.

Heh, imagine her now, seeing what he'd been reduced to, what he was belittled to, he could hear that laugh of hers now, chortling like a stream mixed with a song bird…so damn annoying. And apparently so much so it was burned in his head to the point of being able to recall exactly what it sounded like now. God forbid by some luck she actually find refuge in this city where was to make out the rest of his "new life…"

And what about Mai, if she saw him now…just cold insults basically, and a look of being bored with thinking about it, as much as she drove him crazy and made him want to pursue her…that…that passiveness just got in his craw so much! And his uncle wondered why he wasn't interested in a "lady friend?" they were all too much trouble, too much thought, and too much of pests…

Who was he kidding, it was his fault they would look at him this way, he brought himself to this, goes to show what thinking for yourself will do huh? He could hear his father saying this and thought of something else...

Great the Katara girl, he wasn't planning on it but there she was, or it was, a shape resembling her bending stance in the wood.

The face was wrong though, it was shaped like a disfigured grape...from memory she had always been quite striking...for a Water Tribe peasant that is!

"Nephew!" came his uncles cheerful voice, "How would you like some freshly brewed Tea? The manager liked my versions so much he is changing the menu's as we speak!"

Zuko took his feet off of the wall and laid on his side, facing the wall now, "Uncle!" he said annoyed "I'm tired of Tea, we live in a Tea-HOUSE for crying out loud…"

He could here Iroh's half serious half teasing reply "Tired of Tea? Whuh…that's like…like being tired of breathing!"

He was exaggerating the last part purposefully in a way that actually did make Zuko slightly smirk, and then it quickly went away, humor to him was like a match that burned out too quickly to heat anything…

"Nephew?" came his Uncles voice again "What?" Zuko replied impolitely.

"Have you seen our Spark Rocks?" Iroh asked. "No." Zuko replied flatly and stayed facing away from the door on his bed.

Meanwhile outside the Tea House Restaurant, Jet was perched on a roof opposite their shop, laying flat on his belly and peering into an open window that showed the entire left side of the kitchen where the Tea Kettle and assortments were for cooking or broiling.

Jet smirked to himself, "You mean these Spark rocks old man?" he asked squeezing the Jade colored gems in his palm.

"You'll have to fire bend again…." He hissed out with a smile.

Iroh waddled out of the view that the roof provided via the window, then didn't return. Where was he…?

Jet narrowed his eyes, he glanced to the side to see if he could catch a glance at Lee, if that was even his real name….suddenly he heard the old man saying,

"I got some from our neighbors, such nice people…." He mused.

The old man struck the green little stones together and a blue spark erupted like a flash, lighting up the fire beneath the Tea Kettle.

Jet gritted his teeth and let the small gems drop off the roof and into the gutter bellow, and crawled back off of the roof, not knowing or maybe caring that Longshot and Smellerbee were watching him with sad eyes.

* * *

Aang and the rest got out of the royal cab, Judi smiled at them as they exited, "So sorry about your Bison once again. Enjoy your rest, someone will be by with your fresh previsions within the hour…"

Aang watched as they sped off in the carriage, he sighed, "Alright, let's start on inquiring about where Appa might be…"

Daiken narrowed his eyes, "Why don't we try there…?" he said pointing across the street at another luxurious, nearly their size in height.

As the group looked on, they could see a large curious eye, peeping out from behind the curtain of a door peep hole right before it closed.

The Gang looked at each other then at the door.

After crossing the street Sokka wrapped on the door firmly. There was a scuffling inside and finally the door creeped open, and a small man, around Aang's height stuck his head out, he was in an important looking tunic with robe like sleeves, and had a long waxed mustache that hung down from his face to his chest.

"Oh…lord Avatar…" he said in a small voice that sounded rather hushed besides that. "I heard you were in town."

Aang and the rest of the group looked from left to right wondering what it was he may be trying not to be heard by.

"My name is Pong." He finished smiling.

Aang was about to open his mouth to say hello back but Sokka cut him off.

"Hey Pong, Sokka, Katara, Daiken, Toph and Aang…" he said quickly moving his thumb from one to the other.

"So Pong…" he went on leaning one arm on the door post of his house, "What's the deal with this city? Why's everyone so secretive and scared about the war?"

Pong's eyes grew in size which was saying something,

"W-war….sc-cared…?" the repeated trying to sound as if he was confused.

Toph folded her arms, "I can feel you shaking…" she said.

"Listen…" Pong said dropping his pitiful act, "I'm just a minor government official…I've waited 3 years to get this house…I don't want to get into trouble." He finished with pleading eyes.

"Get in trouble with who?" Katara asked all but exclaiming it, she was tired of this beating around the bush all day.

"Shush shush!" Pong hissed franticly putting his finger to his lips, "Listen you seem like good kids, don't mention the war here! And whatever you do, don't go near the Dai Li or give them reason to dislike you…"

He quickly shut the door after that, and there was a scurrying of feat that could be heard inside until they couldn't hear anymore.

The group looked at each other, they were all thinking it, but it was now clear, this city was in a choke hold.

Momo suddenly purred on Aang's shoulder, brustling his face up against his. Aang scratched him behind the ears.

"I know buddy, your wrestles…you've been sleeping all day while we've been on our feet…we'll go back to that nice park we passed by on the way here, but after we all get some rest…" Aang said.

The gang moseyed back to their own house and one by one went inside, Daiken was the last one in and looked over his shoulder at the rest of the houses, he wasn't sure but his sixth sense was telling him those neighbors were watching them to.

"Hmm…" he mumbled before going inside himself.

That evening, Aang and the rest of the group were either sleeping or going to sleep.  
Toph however was wide awake and feeling thirsty.

She got up quickly, sticking her feet straight up then over her head and stood after hand standing. It was something she learned how to do by accident while standing up out of a roll.

She walked down the hall and to the kitchen, at least she remembered it being in that direction, when suddenly y she heard a familiar voice.

"Couldn't sleep either could you?..."

After hearing the voice she could tell right away where Daiken was adjacent her.

He was outside, sitting on the balcony of their home, looking at something with his arms folded.

"Thirsty…" Toph said rubbing an eye and walking towards the sound of his voice. She kept her arm out in front of her just in case, she wasn't entirely familiar with this house yet and there were tons of oddly shaped objects around the house protruding and hanging from things.

"This city has not yet sat right with me…" Daiken said surveying the neighborhood.

"Welcome to the club…" Toph murmured leaning on the balcony railing with him. "Spying on the neighbors?" she asked.

"They seem fit to spy on us…" Daiken said evenly. "Touche…" Toph said picking some silt out of her ear.

"I'm guessing this is totally a culture shock from your village?" she said.

Daiken didn't reply for a bit, then said

"It's a lot more…ordered then our land…more peaceful…" he admitted as if he didn't like to say it.

Toph nodded, "But..?"

"But?" Daiken echoed looking at her.

"But what do you really make of this place?..." Toph asked.

Daiken "In our land one must stretch their own wings to be strong. This place, it constricts…and it shows. It shows in the fearful faces of the people that built the city. Now the city's makers are a slave to what they created acting as fuel for their own machine. Where they do not give you a chance to do anything of your own, not once caring about you so much as they way things should be."

Toph blew some hair out of her face as it tickled her nose.

"Heh, sounds like my family…" she huffed.

Daiken looked at her, "I am sure that is not true…" he said.

Toph glanced upwards feeling a slight breeze on her forehead. "Yeah well…got me out the house…" she said.

"I am sad that it was so bad you felt you could have freedom no other way…" Daiken said honestly.

Toph said nothing, hearing it like that at least, she was expecting him to be on her side after that speech he just gave.

"What was your family like Daiken?" Toph asked.

Daiken said nothing at first, as if he was pondering how to answer honestly, then spoke;

"You _were_ your family…" Daiken said looking at the crescent moon. "Without one, you were nothing…no identity."

Toph huffed to herself in her head, she found her identity by _leaving_ her family…

"Moving as a tribe…" Daiken continued, "You relied on each other continuously, and because of that, had to know each other closely, through thick and thin."

Toph sighed, "Sounds like something. I don't think my family ever once knew who I really was…"

"That is unfortunate…" Daiken said looking at her. Toph brushed the issue aside, "It's whatever…I'm okay with it…"

Daiken persisted, "No, I mean for them…I pity them for not seeing or wanting to know the strong daughter they had."

Toph was actually caught off guard by that one.

"Um…" Toph said eventually, but again was cut off.

"I pity them for not allowing themselves the chance to be proud of you…" he said. "In our tribe you would be hailed as great one, warrior and woman…" Daiken said with seriousness in his voice along with complement.

Toph felt herself smile so turned her head slightly.

"Well…just my luck for not being born into your tribe I guess…instead I'm in this big bowl city with these lug-heads…"

She didn't hear anything and wanted to think that he was smiling at that, and with a slight chuckle that she eventually did hear, her hopes were requited.

"Lug heads or no…I believe we both have found our place with them…" Daiken went on.

"A bunch of Solo acts…making a band, irony huh?" Toph said.

"Not very much unlike our tribe…" Daiken mused.

Suddenly there was a fluttering and Toph turned her head.

"What is it?" Daiken asked.

"Nothing…" Toph said, "Just bird or something I think…"

* * *

The Fire Nation Out Post.

Ty Lee leaned on the railing of the outpost roof, tracing lines on the metal of the rail. She moved her hips from side to side slowly, deep in thought.

Suddenly she heard chortling noise and leaned up, something about it was familiar.

She looked at the tree tops that were near the railing of the outpost roof. Finding nothing better to do and curious as ever, Ty Lee backed up, then vaulted off of the metal rail into one of the tree's.

It bent forwards with her momentum and she did the same again to get to the next tree, kicking off of the branch.

She heard the chortling noise that sounded more whimpering then anything now, coming from the tree she was now in, and could see the black feathered shape of one of their Pigeon-Hawks crowing at something that was hiding itself in the hallow of the tree.

Ty Lee had a memory of the rabbit squirrel in the mountains, and though whatever this little creature was might not be the same one, she felt the inclination to help it.

She broke off a branch and swatted the hawk, "Shoo! Shoo!" she scolded and the bird eventually flew off annoyed and shocked.

Ty swung herself around to see just what was in the hollow of the tree, "Aww…" she said, "It's okay…the scary birdy went away…" she coaxed.

She reached a hand forwards to the little white fury body with in the hole, and suddenly something long and white and fury snaked around her finger as she did.

She let out a startled squeak but smiled seeing it was the creatures tail. The animal turned its large head around, revealing two large golden eyes.

"Huh…" Ty Lee said feeling as if something had hit her in the head like a gong.

"I know you…don't I…" Ty said.

The creature reached out a little paw and pulled its tail back into the tree hollow with it.

"Aww…" Ty Lee said, "Please come out…don't be scared…don't make me crawl in there after you…" she looked to the side, "Unless that would make Aang appear out of nowhere again to get me unstuck-"

She had scarcely gotten the words _unstuck_ said before at the mention of the name _Aang_ the creatures large eyed, large eared head popped out of the opening, revealing itself to be an adorable little lemur bat.

"I do know you…" Ty said feeling things clicking in her head.

The creature chortled venturing further out bit by bit.

"Your Aan-…" She stopped herself so that it was in more of a whisper as she finished; "Aang's flyey pet aren't you?"

Once again at Aang's mention the little creature flapped its wings coming even more out and onto the branch towards her.

"Is he out here?" she asked suddenly excitedly, "Where is he?"

The little Lemur-bat just titled its head chortling in its little way. "Is AANG out here? " she asked in still hushed voice.

The little creature…good grief what was its name…Aang had mentioned its name on the mountain…Marmu….wait…her name as a circus act!

"Momo!" she said, again covering her mouth when she heard how loud it sounded. The creatures ears perked all the way up.

Ty felt like doing a dance on the branch she was so happy with herself, "Momo?" she asked again to be sure, and the creature actually spread its wings and alit on her arm.

"Momo!" she said triumphantly, "Momo do you know where Aang is…?" she asked.

Momo rubbed his face and looked in the direction of the West, Ty Lee looked herself to see the great wall of Ba Sing Se in the distance.

"Oh…" Ty Lee said, "He's…still over there?" she asked again, Momo just licked his paw then looked up at her again, somehow she knew that it was telling her yes…she didn't know how but…she knew.

She fiddled with her pony tail, "If he's still over there…." Suddenly her eyes lit up remembering Mai's note.

"You can take a message back to him!" she said excitedly.

Momo's eyes lit up as well, wondering what his savior meant by her excited noises.


	41. Chapter 41

**I apologize for the long wait, I've had to re-write some of it cause I realized it wouldn't fit continuity wise. **

Avatar: The Last Air Bender: Alterations

_News of the Day._

Last night

Mai knocked on Ty's door, "Ty? What was that chirping I just heard?" she asked.

She heard nothing, then scuffling.

She slowly turned the knob of the door, "Ty?" she asked again.

The door suddenly swung all the way open, "Hi!" Ty Lee said with a big grin, she was just putting some hair that was in front of her face behind her ear….and her window was open behind her…

"Having fun?" Mai asked.

Ty Lee tilted her head, "Huh? Oh! Yeah, hehe! I was up on the roof…couldn't sleep!"

Mai just nodded uninterestedly, "Mhm. Listen did you borrow my comb?"

Ty Lee shook her head, "No sorry….ask Azula…"

Mai just sighed and walked out the door, "No..she's not even here…she's scouting with a group in the woods….night Ty…"

Ty Lee slowly shut the door…"Goodnight Mai…" she replied.

She leaned against the door after shutting it and took in a big sigh of relief….now…all she could do was wish herself good luck on getting any sleep tonight instead of worrying…

* * *

**Ba Sing Se, the upper wall district**

Aang awoke the next morning as the sun shone through the paper patterned window guards, he slept a little later then he expected to.

Man that was a good dream, whatever it was…he hated that feeling of loving a dream but forgetting it as quickly as you try remember it as you wake up. He did remember it was about Appa, or at least part of it.

He looked over at his friends strewn out across the floor, there were beds upstairs but they had all slept on the ground for so long together, it would have felt weird…at least for now.

He looked over at the blanket that Katara was under the night before, she was probably practicing or something outside.

He stretched sitting straight up.

"Morning Momo…" Aang said, he expected to hear a chortling of his Lemur-bat but none came.

"Momo?" he asked thinking him to still be snoozing. "Time to wake up buddy…" he looked around his still sleeping comrades.

"Momo?" he kicked his blanket off and looked in the folds of it. "Moooomoooo…." He called.

He began peering under the blanket of Daiken's and Katara's in case he was in the mood for hiding.

"Hello?..." he called again, he saw something moving around under Sokka's blanket and pulled the blanket out after sneaking to it.

"Gotcha!" he said.

"Wha! What! Suki I wasn't!" Sokka yelled waking up.

Aang saw that the scurrying underneath the blanket was just Sokka's hand, scratching his chest.

The blanket that Aang pulled off Sokka fell lightly around Aang like a hooded shawl.

"That's funny…" Aang said thinking…

"Morning everybody!" Katara said walking into the living area. Her hair was tied up behind her and she had grease from something on her fingers.

"Breakfast is ready!" she piped cheerily.

Sokka stood up rubbing his eyes, "Ooooh wonderful I am soooooooo hungry…."

Katara looked at Aang, "Could you wake Toph up? Daiken told me somethings she especially liked.."

Aang looked at the still snoring Toph then turned around again, "Daiken?"

"Yeah he helped make breakfast with me, he was up before me." Katara said going back into the kitchen.

Aang shrugged and walked over to Toph and kneeled down next to her, he began nudging her shoulder.

"Toph?" he asked, "Toph its time for.."

He was cut off by a swift punch to his shoulder.

"Ow!" Aang winced.

Toph sat straight up, "I'm up!" she said shaking her hair. "Mmmm what's that smell…"

Katara's voice chimed from the Kitchen, "That would be breakfast…"

"Did you make it? It actually smells good!" Toph teased standing to her feet and ruffling her hair.

Daiken's voice came from inside now, "Now now Toph, I had a hand in that cooking too."

Toph suddenly gasped, "Rolls with currents in them? That's my-….Daiken! What I told you last night!"

Daiken's chuckle was heard, "It was a shot in the dark but I made them as good as I could."

Katara chuckled, "He insisted on seeing if he could do it. Well enough gawking, go sit at the table."

Everyone meandered to the breakfast table and sat on their knees, there were actual pillows for them to sit on at the table.

Aang was the last to walk over, he was still curious as to where his friend had gone,  
"Would you like some Tea?" Katara asked walking by everyone with a pot and china cups.

Aang smiled taking one of the cups, "Thank you Katara."

Sokka who was now stuffing himself with a mouth full of porridge shrugged "Mm-mmf?"

Toph began biting into one of the rolls Daiken had made and chewed thoughtfully, everyone waited for her answer, she finally stopped chewing and said,

"Uh what are all you waiting for?" she asked.

"Are they good?" Daiken asked. Toph coughed a little "Oh! *clears throat* Yes they're awesome, they don't taste like the ones at home but I like them."

Daiken smiled, "I'm glad then…"

Katara squeezed his shoulder "I told you you wouldn't mess them up silly." She said.

Toph continued, "I'm actually glad they aren't just like back home's. Its different, I like that, they're Daiken's specialty."

Daiken smiled eating a fruit from the bowl before them, Aang finished sipping some of his tea then asked everyone in general.

"Anyone seen Momo?"

Toph took a drink of some freshly squeezed berry juice then wiped her mouth, "I thought I did last night, I couldn't be sure it was though.."

Aang bit his lip, this was odd, was there something he'd seen that made him have to leave all night? What if it was just something shiny and he walked right into the path of a Pigeon hawk or something?

"Great…" Sokka said, snapping Aang out of it, "All we need's another missing pe-" he was cut off by Katara flicking his head.

"Hey!" he said narrowing a brow.

"Eat your food Sokka…" Katara said in a very motherly way, shoving a spoonful of porridge into his mouth, shutting him up

She turned to Aang, "Momo's just fine Aang, I think you'd be able to tell if he were in any real danger…"

She was right, he was getting no foreboding, just perplexed at the absence of his friend.

After eating some more of the rice and porridge Aang stood up, "All the same I think I'm going to sail around the city for a while.."

He said summoning his stick to him using wind bending.

"Let us know if you have trouble finding him Aang." Katara said sitting up herself.

Aang nodded to them all, then walked towards the balcony overlooking their garden.

There was a rush of wind and like that Aang was gone.

"You think Momo's really in trouble?" Katara asked sitting with everyone else.

* * *

**Shan Quon Feilds**

Longshot concentrated, breathing in and out through his nose, aiming carefully…he saw something white suddenly shoot from behind a range of trees, scattering like a bat with a tale. There it was.

Without a moments hesitation his mind clicked like a steal trap and honed in on the flying thing and let the arrow fly…

* * *

Aang flew over the rooftops of Ba Sing Se, he had to admit it was a spectacular sight, like an entire landscape made of homes, that stretched literally as far as the eye could see, but right now the only thing he was looking for was one small white dot, or large white one..if it were Appa.

He remembered the pet store and zipped down too it, landing at the front door in a swift walk. He rang the bell at the front desk and the Animal Manager poked his head out from the back.

"Oh Mr. Avatar!" he said smiling suddenly.

"Hi!" Aang said, glad he recognized him. "Um have you seen my lemur bat anywhere…? Any reports?"

The store manager leaned on his counter thinking, "Hmm, no I'm sorry, nothing like that, and nothing about a flying bison either. Sorry."

Aang sighed, "Thank you for your help…" but before turning to go asked.

"So…if someone were to buy one on the black market, keep it hush hush, how would they do it, who would they be?"

The Store Manager thought, "There are a few gangs in Ba Sing Se but they offer very little trouble, the Dai Li see to that."

Aang looked at him in the eyes, "Do you know…anyone?"

The manager looked both ways then bit his lip, "I…can't say.."

While it wasn't as painfully obvious as their new neighbor Pong, Aang could see the same fear in this man's eyes.

"Please…" he said gripping his staff, "Something…someone!" The manager thought for a second, "No…no I'm sorry…but if you ever find your lemur-bat… here are some Pankun seeds for him. I'm pretty sure he'd like them."

He quickly went into the back and gave him a small bag, "Please…" he said.

Aang took the seeds in his hand, he could feel a scrap of paper inside the bag, and realized what had happened.

"Thank you…" he said genuinely.

"Hello!" came a voice from the back of the shop. Aang peered around to see a man with a mustache that hadn't fully grown out who looked to be perhaps no older than 19.

"Oh um, this is Tong Wu…" the Store Manager said. "My assistant…"

"Hello…" Aang said remembering to act disappointed. "Well…I'll be by again maybe…"

And with that he exited the shop.

As soon as he was a few blocks away, he stuck his two fingers into the bag reaching around for…Ah-Ha! The parchment of paper!

Sure enough there was a receipt in the bag, on which was scribbled "White Cat fish." Aang remembered this then stuck the pouch in his tunic and made a run for an incline in the road, he leapt from it to a range of boxes next to a shop leading to the roof. A few store owners stuck their heads out their windows to see him do it.

After reaching the roof he leapt off of it letting his kite staff spread its wings, and with a gust of air was off.

Aang soared over the city of Ba Sing Se, a few of the children in the streets saw him and chased his shadow on the ground as he flew over them.

He helped some people with their loads, and used his air bending to help in whatever way he saw he could along the way, it made him feel better to do, but also hungry.

He reached the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, perching himself on one of the stone statues, and took out the bag of seeds, "White Cat Fish" he'd remember that…and was about to pop one of said seeds into his mouth when he heard a familiar chirping.

"Momo?..." he asked.

He turned his head just in time to a fluffy white shape get bigger as it soared for him.

"Momo!" he said standing straight up, shaking the bag up at him.

The exhausted Lemur bat fell on his arm once he reached him panting.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" Aang said hugging his buddy, and heard something crumple.

"Huh?" he said.

He looked down at him and saw that there was a note tied to his leg.

"….what's this…" Aang said narrowing a brow. He took the piece of paper off of Momo as he liked his own fury arm.

The moment his eyes hit the words, they grew in size.

**"Ty?..."** Aang said.

* * *

The night before

_Ty Lee penned down the last of her note, she didn't mean for it to take that long, but she didn't know if this was her only shot to get something through to Aang, or if this would even work. She supposed that was if anything another reason to hurry up but…there…last paragraph done….wait no it needed more…it had at first been a letter filled with ambition to see him again, but as she looked at the facts as she stared at her paper, she saw that this was in fact a goodbye letter….at least for now._

_"Aang…before anything else, I wanted to say, Thank you for saving me, in more ways than one on that mountain, repeatedly so. You're the first person who's ever made me feel like I didn't have to hide or, copy cat off of someone else to be special. I don't know if you can trust me again but…I won't lie, I did attack those men who came to stop our machine…and yes I…attacked your friends inside it. I always knew you deserved someone amazing, someone who was never me…I just didn't want to see my friends hurt in front of me either, I was scared of being caught, of being found out by them for not helping them fight you guys…_

_None of this matters I'm guessing, I don't blame you for going over the wall without me, and now none of this matters, I don't see any way I can get in to you, and even if I did, if I could face you, or your friends no less._

_Just know that, in case you do because you're so sweet, actually blame yourself for any of this, please don't, please don't trouble yourself over a jumpy little thing like me. If by some fortune, I see you again, know that…you're the only person I ever actually loved. Thank you for that….go be a hero, be the Avatar, the world needs you more than me._

~Ty Lee.

* * *

Zuko rolled the teacup on his saucer around by its handle, making a low worrring noise. He was sitting at a table in the back portion to the kitchen of the Teashop he was so now "Joyously employed." There were only 3 people in total who came in today, and that was just now. As the manager had said, people usually came to the Teashop during the evening or right before noon time afterwork, at least in these districts. The shifts ended later in this part of town, so basically, Zuko was stuck, pouring liquid he didn't even care for, and nothing else…for a good 4 hours…and in THIS place…

He stopped rolling the teacup around and sat up, he peeked out of the window that seperated the seating area from the kitchen, there was only a two men now…great. Well then again that meant that he wouldn't be needed so…

"Hey! Excuse me!" he heard.

Excellent…

"You call this tea?"

Zuko looked to see the second man frowning in his direction.

Where was his uncle? He would have just the right, nice, wise…thing to say that didn't consist of telling the man to jump in a dump heap. Oh right…he'd been up all night so it was Zuko's turn for the early morning shift, he'd hoped it would be when no one was around so he could be left alone….good thinking Zuko….

Zuko walked out from behind the door into the seating area.

"I call it what you ordered…what's wrong with it?" Zuko asked flattly.

The man frowned at his remark, "I call it hot leaf juice that some punk of a boy put in front of me cause he was too careless to treat it like his job dictated…"

Zuko's hand shook behind his back but he kept it there, tucked, as a tea server would….for now.

"What's wrong with it?" Zuko asked.

"Are you deaf…?" the man growled, or more like slurred.

"I said it tastes…disgusting…disgusting…I've tasted better tea in the….34th district…"

Zuko tilted his head.

"We are in the 34th district you fool, if you don't want our tea then….!"

The man stood up and looked down at him with one eye…he also seemed to sway a bit, he was drunk, but not drunk enough to not inflict damage, he was the angry kind of drunk, most likely here at the Teashop to burn of a hangover of some kind from work.

"Then you'll take like this…." He said dangling the cup between two fingers, "And fill it up right…and bring it back to me…boy…" and dropped the cup like that.

What kept Zuko from outbursting at the man with words and his fist when the cup broke was….that the cup didn't break, but was caught by Iroh, who was now suddenly next to him.

"I assure you sir we only serve the best to our costumers…" Iroh said.

The other hand of Iroh's was on Zuko's behind his back, keeping him from lashing out at the man.

"If we can have a little more of your time to prepare it properly…I promise we won't take more then thirty more minutes or so…" he said grinning cheerfully.

The man who was staring down at them sneered and half slurred "Thirty minutes….? That's almost an hour….Forget this place, you won't be getting my service again…!"

And with that he turned around and stormed out of the tea shop in a huff, brushing against a chair as he went nearly making it fall over.

Zuko glared after him then at the other two costumers.

"What are you staring at?" Zuko barked.

The two men simply turned back around and began drinking their tea like nothing had happened.

Iroh turned Zuko to face him as he pulled him into the back.

"Uncle!" Zuko started, "I know what you're going to say, and I prepared that the tea just the way you showed me! He should have been greatful for that stupid tea but he was too drunk too-"

Iroh interrupted him, "I know Nephew…" Iroh coaxed, "I was going to commend you on not striking at him the first time he jeered at you…"

Zuko raised a brow, "Really?"

Iroh nodded, "You should exemplary self control…"

Zuko looked over his shoulder at the swinging doors, "Well I would've taken him down right then and there if you hadn't been there…"

Iroh patted his shoulder and walked back towards the stove, "I know that too, nephew and I don't blame you…"

Zuko turned to his uncle, "Really?"

Iroh began putting on a new kettle, "Of course, you must be weathered and practiced as me to allow someone to mock the work of art which is your tea…"

Zuko shook his head.

* * *

Aang paced, what was he going to do? The evidence he'd known existed of Ty lee and his feelings was right in his hand, so what to do with it now? She was out there, and still loved him, she did want to explain herself, he knew it, he also knew she was right in saying what a long shot it would be to see each other again. Quite literally the greatest outer defense in the world was keeping them apart, that not even a dragon could defy. He couldn't just sneak her in…or tell the Earth King they had a defect who wished to help them with secrets of the Fire Nation, she was weary enough betraying her fellows as it was… and besides they couldn't see the Earth King at any cost it seemed, and then there was the whole matter of that, keeping them apart.

Wait what if, what if she snuck in like they had done? As a refugee? No no, she'd need a passport, even if she was able to disguise herself.

And as much as he wanted to, he couldn't go out looking for her, he didn't know what would happen his friends in the care of this "Earth Kingdom Monarchy." Him being the Avatar seemed to be the one thing keeping them all in "good graces."

As for getting word back out to her, he wasn't sure quite how Momo got out and back, and honestly he didn't want to risk his fury friend a third time.

At the same time he saw what happened with the letter, she was stranded, nothing short of a miracle could get them back together, and the only miracle's she'd seen was with him, but she was asking him not to guilt himself over not being able to churn one out this time. She had written this JUST to release him, he couldn't let it stop there, there had to be a way.

Who was he kidding, the real miracles were when him and his friends worked together…no, he would have to consult with his friends….but he knew they wouldn't like this…

* * *

Longshot ran out to the field where he had shot his target, he found it right where he had judged the projector…

He picked up the white doll with a dragons wings on it, and pulled the arrow out of the hey that was used to stuff it and give it weight.

He glanced over at Smellerbee who now walked over holding the crossbow slingshot device he had bought over her shoulder.

"You think Jet's actually looking for work like he says?" Smellerbee asked.

Longshot looked sideways at Smellerbee then re-quivered the arrow.

"Aww I don't know…I mean the sooner he finds out for himself it was nothing, the sooner this craze'll be over…"

Longshot glanced at her again then began walking the way they'd come, Smellerbee sighed then followed.

"Your right…he IS acting more different, if they don't show any signs he may think they're trying that hard to fool him…"

Longshot paused for her to catch up to him then proceeded to walk again,

"Your right, we'll talk to him tonight, after we look for work ourselves…" she said.

* * *

Aang finally arrived back at the their new house, after landing on the front steps he looked to the sides to see if the neighbors were looking, they of course were…

He sighed and looked at the front door, he made a fist and walked up to it.

Half way there he stopped, how was he going to do this? He knew this would be the hardest to break to Katara and Sokka. Katara even more than Sokka cause he knew it would be harder for him personally to tell her…especially now with him feeling so….confused.

He wasn't doing this purely out of honor and gratitude for her helping him escape…that's what they all may think but…not Katara…not him….but at the same time…she sounded like she was letting him go in the letter…and after all what hope was there really…

NO, no! Enough talk like that, he wasn't about to let doubt ruin everything….

He raised his hand to knock at the door but it swung open right before he could.

Toph stood there with a hand on her hip, "I told you he was outside…" she said huffily.

"Aang how did it go?" Sokka's voice piped up from inside.

Aang slowly walked in, Sokka and Daiken and Katara were all there sure enough.

"Did you find-?…Momo!" Katara said happily as the lemur bat flew from Aang's vest and around the room.

"I got news…" Aang said finally.

"So do we!" Sokka said. "Oh, but yours first, yours first!"

Aang bit his lip, "No no…you guys first." He said.

"It seems there may be a way to meet with the Earth King…." Daiken said with his arms folded, sitting on the rails of the stairs.

"Really…" Aang said honestly surprised.

Sokka stepped right up, unraveling a scroll and presenting it to Aang.

"See? See?" He said pointing excitedly with a huge grin on his face.

Aang got closer and read: "His Royal Majesty…King Kuei the 52nd is hosting a ball in honor of the birthday of his pet Bear this weekend?..."

Aang looked from behind the scroll at the rest of his friends, "Platypus Bear?"

"Nope…" Toiph said slumping on some pillows on the floor, "Just bear…"

"Skunk Bear?" Aang said blinking.

"It says he's just a…bear…" Sokka said shrugging in just as much confusion.

"Man this place is weird…." Aang said to himself.

Katara reassumed the conversation, "So anyway, as I was just saying before you came here…the place will be packed, we can just slip in with the crowd." She said.

"And I was telling these dunderheads that it won't work." Toph said, not getting up from her pillows.

"Why not?" Aang asked looking over at her.

Sokka folded his arms, "She says we aren't PROPPER enough…" he said making a face as he said the word proper.

Toph just rolled her head to look to the side, "It's nothing personal guys but you just wouldn't fit in a high class crowd…I was forced to grow up in it and trust me, if I could sniff out that you guys were different, you'd all stick out like a sore thumb, you got no manners."

Katara chuckled, "WE have no manners…you're not exactly Ms. Lady-Like yourself!" she said putting an indignant hand on her hip.

Toph just crossed her legs looking at the ceiling, "Like I said…" she said as if Katara was deaf the first time. "I was brought up in that life and CHOSE to leave it….it was forced down my throat for years…it has to be learned and gotten used to…and frankly in your case it's a little too late…"

"If it could be learned, then why not teach us?..." Daiken asked.

"Exactly!" Sokka said throwing his arms out, "I mean come on it shouldn't be that hard to get the hang of." He quickly pulled a blanket down from the wall where it hung and said in his imitation of a deep…yet proper sounding voice; "A good day too you sah….and to you Ms. Katara wah-tor tribe….and Aang of the Misty Mountain summit, and Lord Momo of course..…" The Lemur bat bowed.

It sounded as if Sokka was trying to throw an accent or two in there.

Toph made a little sarcastic "he-he…" then ended with "no…believe me they can smell fakers."

"You once told me that this whole society…crap as you called it was an act…just be our acting coach…" Daiken said in the same tone he usually addressed things in.

Aang scratched the back of his leg with his foot, he still didn't know how he was going to inform them of his news, especially in light of this new plan. Getting to the Earth King most certainly took priority…but still…..

"Hmmm…" Toph thought out loud, "I guess Katara could maybe pull it off, but you guys might not even pass for bus boys. Daiken would have to be the servant…no offense, but anyone from the Deep Sand Lands wouldn't be considered high society because of that…"

Daiken nodded, "None taken…in any case, we have till this upcoming weekend to train. That's three days."

Toph pondered it more, "Hmm okay…I think that should be enough time at least….I'll try with you two…" she said motioning to Aang and Sokka, "But I'll make no promises…"

"But I feel so fancy…" Sokka protested.

Toph shrugged, "Society expects guys to be a bit more…convincing in social circles and appear smarter…so…yeah…a lot of work ahead of us."

Katara sighed then turned to Aang.

"Now…" she said, "What was your news?"

Aang shut his eyes, here it came….

"It's about Momo…" he said.

Everyone looked towards him waiting for him to continue…..and waited….

Aang finally spoke again, "He came back with…this…tied to his leg…"

He showed them all the slip of paper that Momo had with him.

He read from it aloud but…purposefully left out the parts that sounded a tad too…personal between him and Ty, he wasn't sure how those would help the situation.

When he looked up from the paper he wasn't too surprised to see them all looking at him wide eyed.

"So….she's letting you go?" Sokka asked.

Aang sighed, "It seems that way.."

Toph folded her arms, "But….?"

Aang looked to them all, "But what if there was a way to get her….get her in…?" he asked.

Katara shut her eyes and held in a groan….she was afraid of that.

"In HERE?" Sokka asked, "We got in ourselves barely!"

Daiken spoke up next, "Aside from that, the battle that ensued outside the walls I'm sure will have their security on much higher alert."

Aang began to pace a little, "But….but what if we got word back to her that she could come in as a refugee?"

Katara sighed, "Aang…."

Aang kept going, "No really? What would be so hard? She isn't the same complexion as most Fire Nation, and her eyes aren't even golden, they're lush umber brown!"

Katara…definitely noticed the change in tone as he referred to what her eyes looked like….

"A lot of Earth Folk have eye's like that…" he followed up quickly.

Daiken sat up, "Aang…I thank you for having me along in your band, I promised that I would earn your trust over time, but I wish that you would trust me in this….it is not a sound idea…"

"He's right." Katara said, "You don't know if this is legitimate or not…"

Aang rubbed his forehead, "You still think she's…-" he stopped himself. Of course they would think she's a traitor now, he himself had his doubts thanks to the attack she made on his friends in the drill. It wasn't till he read this his faith was as strong as it was when she could do no wrong to him.

"…She felt like she had no choice…" he continued instead.

Katara was steadfast, "According to THAT letter…" she said.

"Yeah Aang…how do we know it's from her?" Sokka followed up.

Aang was about to bring up an objection when Daiken again cut in.

"Even if this is her…what if the Fire Nation are allowing her to do so unbeknownst to even her, hoping she'll lead them to us…if we provide her with a way of getting in with a second message it may blow her cover if it's still intact, or give them a way into the city themselves….if they haven't thought of a way in already…"

Toph sighed, "I'm with Daiken on this one…it sounds kinda sketchy, especially now. And if you ask me, from the way that read…it sounded like you were reading a bit too much into it, she probably was just being nice and letting you go. Sorry…"

Aang lookd at his feet, it was as he feared, they were all against it, what's more they all had reasons….good ones…which was what he hated most.

He wanted to blurt out his whole intention; flying out himself, with Momo to guide him, the both of them re-entering the city as refugee's…stating their case…becoming part of the group….seeing her again…

It was hopeless though now….they would not help him, to propose what he was thinking was folly, and Katara who didn't say much looked suspiciously like she knew what he was thinking and was begging him not to with her eyes.

For now it looked like Aang was going to have to stick to their original plan…infiltrate the party, get leave of the Earth King, present their idea…then perhaps he could propose that they had a leak within the Fire Nation that he could bring to their side, after all he was the Avatar, and they were all counting on him to be their trump card should they meet him anyway…

He just wished that there was some way that he could…get word back to her…to let her know that HE cared that much too…to let her know it wasn't unrequited…

"Alright…" he said above a whisper still looking down.

There was an awkward silence that was only a few seconds but felt like an hour, so this was how it went? Was his emotions making him make something more out of this then it was…was it really a goodbye letter…was this happening again…?

Suddenly he felt Katara hugging him. He finally looked up and hugged back, feeling her hair on the side of his head as he did.

Right now that hug was what he needed and he ate it up, and it was reassuring to know that she was still there for him…and the hug felt like it did before she'd told him…no when he asked her that question before he left. The kind of hug he'd wanted in return when he kissed and hugged her.

Katara on the other hand just held him tight, like she didn't want to let him go, as if he'd drift away or disappear if he did….and in a way…she was scared of that happening. She felt it when he described that girl the first time, she felt it when he defended her at the cliff springs…and when he defended her now…she didn't want to lose her Aang…

They both heard Sokka speak up, "Oooookay then….we go with plan _Pull a ninja on the Bear party?_"

"Sure…." Aang said quietly, still soaking up the hug.

Daiken was still frowning to the side, "I for one…" he said, "Am curious still about the safety of your bat's return…"

Aang broke from the hug slowly, "What do you mean?" he asked.

"The Fire Nation Army have many eyes watching their skies as a lot of their messages come via Pigeon Hawk…" Daiken went on, "The fact that your bat made it there and back in one piece….makes me wonder if our theory is not right…."

Aang just shut his eyes.

* * *

Last night

Momo licked Ty Lee's hand as she fastened the parchment to him. She stroked his long ears smiling.

"Don't get caught…" she whispered to him. "I'd hate for you to get hurt because of me…"

She looked around to make sure there were no watchmen on her side of the tower .

"Okay, hurry go!" she hissed in a whisper and Momo fluttered off into the night, the moon was covered by the clouds so it might be easier for him to slip by…maybe...

Momo ducked and dived and rolled as he flew, knowing he would have to go on the bits of food the Fire Nation girl had given him…and brushed him too, that surprised him…but now he knew he had to get this…whatever it was to Aang…he could tell it was important, and anyway, he couldn't smell Appa anywhere out here….

Meanwhile bellow in the woods, a hawk perched on the Arm of a Fire Nation watchmen eyeballed the Lemur bat.

It's master was about to jerk his arm upwards to let it fly, and let go of its string straps, but a long nailed hand caught his arm.

"No…" came the voice of Azula, "Just follow it…I want to see where it leads us…"


	42. Chapter 42

The White Catfish

Aang and Katara walked to this mysterious "White Catfish" that was inscribed on the parchment that the Pet store keeper gave him.

Toph was busy teaching Daiken and Sokka how to act like hired hands in high society back at the house.

Aang and Katara had learned their rolls all that day and the night before, and had in fact just finished coaching each other on the way here. Now they were taking a break from it, but awkwardly had little to say afterwards.

Momo suddenly popped out of Aang's vest, his big ears brustling his face, Aang laughed in a light laugh that resembled Momo's chirping.

Katara finally giggled.

Aang started chuckling too, and found that they were smiling at each other as they walked.

"I dare say me-dame…" Aang said resuming his servant role, "I had no idea such a beast was hidden amongst my clothes, excuse me if you must… "he said bowing his head to her.

Katara immediately turned her nose up and tried out her look of indifference, she pretended to fondle a fan in her hand using the directions Aang had.

"Do what you must…just don't let this interrupt my walk…" she said with a huff.

Aang's grin grew…he had to admit…when she was play acting…she was downright attractive….playing that hard to get type. Difference was the type she was playing _was_ hard to get, and downright cold, and…Katara could play none of those things…truly convincingly, at least to him. It's why he found this fun…knowing the Katara that wasn't cold was in there, like a girl playing hide and seek tag with you behind trees…and lately…she'd been even more…close to him.

"So how was that?" Katara asked. Aang snapped out of his state of mind, "Oh you were perfect, as usual…" he said winking.

She blushed a bit and smiled.

"And how was I at playing a bag carrying lug?" he asked in his _servant_ voice again.

Katara giggled and bowed her head to him, "Enough to win whatever you'd like me to fix you tonight…"

Aang grinned at her as Momo crawled from his vest around his neck, and snaked there like a scarf, snuggling his shoulders.

Suddenly they came to a place in town where they heard rough housing and slurring and swearing….they both looked up and saw the bar…the white catfish.

Aang and Katara both stood there in the street wide eyed, trying not to stick out as much as they were in that neighborhood.

"You wanna try this again later?..." Katara asked.

"With the rest of the Gang here?" Aang put in.

"Murmormormur chip chip?" Momo said.

They both looked down at the Lemur bat, then at each other, both biting their lips, then finally back at the bar.

Katara could see Aang's conflict though,

"Come on…" she said,

"On the off chance that someone _DOES_ know something about Appa…we have to try right…?"

Aang smiled, "Thanks Katara…we won't stay long. Especially if the place makes you feel uncomfortable…"

Katara grinned at hearing that, he just never stopped being a gentlemen.

"Oh! Please! If I hated being uncomfortable I'd of been out of this mission a long time ago." She said whipping her hair to her other shoulder.

Aang laughed, "Ha ha! Well um…shall we?"

"Sure…" Katara said.

Suddenly a man flew through the window of the Bar, falling flat on his face with his legs sticking up, groaning.

A harsh, heavy voice of a woman boomed from the top, _**"So THERE if you ever look at me in a way I don't like again!"**_

Aang and Katara both held each other's hands looking forward, and entered the bar.

* * *

The day before

Azula looked over some maps in her quarters, she was only in her night robes, but was pushing herself even now to crack the puzzle of how to infiltrate Ba Sing Se….

For all she knew they could be parading him through the streets for the 100th time. A guest of honor IN the Earth King's house…an invasion was out of the question…but infiltration….ahhh now there was a chance….a chance get close to him unbeknownst to the citizens of the city, use something of his that he cared for a against him, she'd just have to find out what it was for sure…and then….

A*_Knock knock_* came at the door.

"Who is it?" Azula said leaning up and tightening her robe a bit more.

"It's Lieutenant Marshal Brago me lord…" said her guard.

Azula's hands let the robe belt fall at the tightness it was already.

"Send him in…" she said.

The door creaked and Brago entered, he was in his suit of armor again…..hiding all that muscle…..with his helmet under his arm.

"Your grace…" he said bowing.

"Speak your business…" Azula said folding her arms.

"I just wanted to ask if perhaps our presence could be better served elsewhere…"

Azula looked to the side letting out a "hmmm"

She sat on the bed, and crossed her legs, causing one of them to be slightly uncovered above the knee.

"Elaborate Lieutenant…" she said looking up at him.

Brago's eyes were on the ceiling now…she smiled to herself knowing the reason for this was her.

"Well I wonder…if we could somehow find away to get inside-…" he started.

"Your sounding boringly simple Leuitenant…of course we wish to get inside…and by the way I'm down here…" she said.

He looked down to see that she was now cross legged in a position that showed more of her thigh, he blinked and kept his composure looking at her face….her face damn it…

"I mean madam…" he said. "That rather than a full scale invasion force…those of us who can pass for Earth Kingdom go in amongst the refugees."

Azula sighed, "Where my mind is going now…but it's pointless…they watch their new comers to closely…our spies who've never returned proved that…"

Brago persisted, "But perhaps if there was one…one who could play the part well of an innocent…"

Azula could already tell what this meant, "Your speaking about Ty." She said.

Brago tilted his head, "I spoke of no one in general…I just meant."

"And then what planner…?" Azula asked, "They get inside and what…? Get word back to outside? How…how without being seen? Attempt to kill the Avatar? he's surrounded by allies in a city who deems him a hero."

Brago sighed,

"Let us at least…attempt to put something in action so my men are not….scavenging for white fur for the remainder of the week!"

Azula's eyes lit up.

"What was that you said?" she asked rising up off the bed.

"Let us attempt..." Brago began.

"No no! Your men what they were doing!" Azula said hurriedly.

"Oh yes…" Brago said, "My River scouting Party found a few clumps of white fur in the East River bank..."

Azula suddenly curled her lips into a smile.

"Where….?" She asked.

Brago raised a brow not understanding, "It was hard to determine but possibly a mile or so from our camp…it would have to have been right before you get to the falls for the clumps to stay intact and come across our eyes…"

Azula strode over to her maps on her table, "Come over here!" she said, not barking but not nicely either.

Brago hastened to her, and glanced over her shoulder. She snapped her fingers making her candle burn as brightly as it had before when she started and put a long nailed hand on a part of the Map indicating the Eastern Bank.

"If this…white fur is what I think it is…" she said musing to herself.

"How much were these clumps?" she asked looking over her shoulder.

Brago thought and said, "A foot perhaps…"

Azula grinned more, "So it was a large creature….like the Avatar's Bison…of course! He didn't have his brute with him when he attacked our drill our evaded us...We may have found some leverage to make him come to us!" she said triumphantly.

She brushed past Brago with her hip as she got up and walked to her drawer, Brago shut his eyes making a fist and kept his composure. However he did see her point….it would at least give them something!

"Let them men know that at first light, we all mount up to find the brute….it always shed in clumps…" she said excitedly, finishing the bit of paper she was writing on.

She gave the piece of paper to Brago, "And one more thing…" she said.

"Yes?" Brago asked.

"Did Ty approach you at anytime…about this…notion to infiltrate the Wall?" she asked.

Brago simply answered, "She approaches me…and everyone, repeatedly, about something or other, but not about this no, I just thought her along with a few of my men might be more…convincing as refugee's then others."

Azula nodded, "Very well…good…" she said.

"Good?" Brago asked.

"Nothing…" Azula said simply, "We'll discuss this more on the trail tomorrow….it's going to be a long day."

Brago bowed and stood back up, awaiting to be a excused…and a waited…and waited…Azula just meandered to her bed.

Brago re-gripped his helmet, "You've got to be kidding me…" he thought, she's doing this AGAIN? STILL?

"Oh!" Azula said innocently, would you blow out the candle before you leave Lieutenant?" she asked climbing into bed.

Brago bowed a second time and strode over to the candle and blew it out.

As he bent back up it re-ignited with a snap of her fingers.

"Oops.." Azula said smirking. "Could you get it again? Goodnight Lieutenant…"

Brago kept his jaw steady and again bowed and blew out the candle and exited towards the door.

* * *

Present

**_The White Catfish_**

The atmosphere of the room hit them in the face like a reed, the aroma of beer, Common Saki, and smoke filled their nostrils.

Momo took to hiding back in Aang's garments before he could flinch another whisker.

A few of the tavern goers noticed them but went on with their rough housing, others…kept staring at them, like bullies on the play ground who give you the warning look of "You don't belong here…" which was interesting considering some of the attendants here were no older then Sokka, Jet or Daiken. A few others looked at Katara…interestingly as well…unfortunately that didn't range with age.

Katara rolled her eyes noticing this, then saw Aang narrow his as he noticed the same thing. Suddenly she felt Aang's hand gripping hers more firmly and strode onward with determination, holding her closer. That made Katara smile a bit.

As they passed a few tough costumers sitting at a various tables table, there came a rush of comments towards them, such as

_"Hey newly-borns…the Nanny house is in the upper district!"_

and _"It's not every day someone asks to be beat down…"_

or _"Hey look, fresh meat…"_

or the even more blatant _"Your in the wrooong establishment kiddies…"_

All were ploys to scare them, and if ANY of them made a move to put their muscle where their mouth was, Aang wasn't worried. He and Katara'd been in enough jams to know they could get out of this place easily enough without having to even bend earth, all they wanted was information and then to get out, that was it, with no intention of making a second trip.

As they passed another table of roughions, who all seemed to be in Jet's age range, one of the ones wearing a cap and ironically chewing on a stem of a reed said: "So is she your sister or am I going to have to make you her ex baby face?"

Aang didn't even regard the comment and continued to walk forwards, as did Katara. But as they passed by this wise guy, Momo suddenly stuck his head out of Aang's collar like a snake, chirping angrily at the young man for his comment at his friends then shrank back inside his masters clothes.

The young men at the table were defiantly taken by surprise by this as they passed by, then looked at each other, then cracked up at the randomness of it and began swearing other things.

Finally they got too to bar area, a large white carving of Catfish out of Pale Skin wood hung mounted over the counter.

A large barman with a scar in the shape of an X over his nose looked down at them.

"I could see you from the door…" he said roughly. "I'd of thought you'd get the idea by the first guy this isn't no place for ya…IF you know what's good for your health I mean."

Aang sighed, he could plug the "I am the Avatar and I need your help" line but, given this place most likely someone would ask him to prove it by fighting them or even worse, someone would snitch on them to…whoever this Dai Li was that they were bustling about unsupervised.

Suddenly a white hand of Momo's holding out some paper money popped out of his vest. Along with their house, the Avatar apparently were also given credit, on the Earth Kingdom's dime, this included making withdrawals from the bank as it turned out. This was of course for the sole purpose of saying that "The Avatar does business with OUR bank…"

Aang looked the stunned man in the eye; he was more stunned at the manner in which he was being offered a bribe then the bribe itself. Aang's shoulders were slanted forwards on the bar counter so that no one but the bar tender could see.

"If someone were to uncover a rare…animal…a flying rare animal, where would it be taken, and who would do it?" He asked.

They heard a bottle break behind them, and Katara and Aang both looked over their shoulders and only saw a group of men at one of the tables laughing loudly. They turned their attention back to the bar-man.

He strummed his chin, "Well…" he said putting his hand out like he was thinking…Momo's hand slapped the paper pieces in his palm then darted back in Aang's cloak.

"…I'd say check around Fon Sun'e…" he said musing.

"OR if you wanted a second guess…." He said putting his other hand out like he was shrugging.

Immediately, Momo's white paw jetted out again with another bill into his open palm.

"I'd look for _Pen-Go Si_…." The Barman continued, "He's known for…taking an interest in the city's…unwanted...creatures...and redistributing them to the more…._wanting_ business…" he said grinning.

Aang narrowed his eyes, "This was my best friend…" Aang said.

"Oh?" the Barman said as if he cared.

Katara rubbed her arm looking around her as she stood semi behind Aang, ready to do something if something got out of hand, someone had already fallen out of their chair do to being pushed, but fortunately just cracked up laughing as soon as he was from being drunk.

"He's a Sky Bison…big as most Badger Moles…white fur…." Aang went on,

"Where would something that big be kept?"

The Barkeep put up his hand again,

"_AFTER_ I get my answer…" Aang said seriously.

The Barkeep grinned, "How do I know you have more to give me?" he asked.

Aang didn't do anything but meet his gaze with his serious one, Katara did the same. The Barkeep looked at both then leaned up, "Fine…" he said shrugging for real.

"I just figured you'd want the precaution with him being your Best Friend…" he started.

With a crackle of paper, another bill jetted out from Aang's clothing, held by Momo's white paw.

The man took it and continued without missing a beat.

"Defiantly go with _Pen-Go_ then…he'd by anything that big off any of the other guys' I'd mention…" the Barkeep said,

"Getting him to part with your "friend…?" that's a different story though…"

Katara chuckled "Oh believe me…he'll part with more than Appa if he tries to…"

She was interrupted as a swift, loud, **smack** to her backside cut her off, making her eyes enlarge in sheer surprise….and bottled rage that wasn't fully realized.

She turned around slowly to see the young men from the table before, lead by the guy with the reed in his mouth.

Aang was now fully turned around but hadn't seen what had just happened so he was ready for a confrontation but unaware what it was about.

"I was talking to you hot stuff…." The man smirked at her. Three of his cohorts were alongside him smiling.

Katara forced her mouth into a slight smile…which frankly scared Aang for some reason.

"Who did that?" she said in a calm voice which he found almost as unsettling.

"Who did what?" Aang asked wanting to know what he was getting angry about.

The guy with the cap and the read in his mouth rolled his eyes swaying a bit letting the beer in his hand nearly spill.

"Aww honey do I need to do it again?" He reached his hand again to swat her but two things happened to prevent it.

Firstly the beer in his mug jumped out at him like a cat, attacking his face, then freezing solid.

Secondly, he was blown off his feet by a gust of wind Aang sent from his wrist and staff, sending him sailing over the heads of several customers until he hit a pillar.

He fell to the ground with the ice Breaking on his face as he fell head first.

"Don't ever…try to touch her again!" Aang said at the same time of Katara saying; "Don't ever…touch me like that again!"

Katara and Aang looked at each other briefly after saying that, but before either could grin, everyone in

bar looked down at the fallen roughion, then at the two of them, with faces that weren't joking around this time as they glared.

Slowly they began to stand up.

"_Great…" _Aang thought, "This might be the perfect time to use the Avatar line to at least TRY To avoid a fight, he didn't want the hub-bub of them being there to get out, and if one of them were to get hurt, he didn't want it to be Katara.

**"ALRIGHT ALL OF YOU!"** Came a booming female voice that matched the voice they had heard from the upstairs room of the tavern.

They all looked to a door way leading to the stairs and saw a woman who at first glance Aang would say was the size of Appa. To be fair it wasn't weight so much as he was sure that she could beat any of the Earth Bending champs Toph faced in a game of Arm Wrestling…or real wrestling.

Suddenly the demeanor of the Bar Tender changed.

"Mother!" he said exasperatedly.

The woman pointed a finger at him, **"You hush up! What's the idea you running up me and my husband's bar?"**

Aang just stared up at her, as did Katara….and the rest of the customers who all sat down.

"Uh…" Aang started.

**"You were fighting for her I saw that….but if you don't want malarkey like that to happen…don't bring your girlfriend around to a place like this! Now get!"** she said scoldingly.

Both Aang and Katara backed away nodding.

The lady looked to the rest of the customers, **"And the rest of you stop staring like this is the first time you've seen someone unconscious and either get him off my floor or buy something! And by _Either_, I mean it better be both!"** she said stomping a foot and making the floor quake….obviously she could bend earth.

Meanwhile, Aang and Katara were already outside the Tavern, a block or more away, and catching their breath.

"Are you alright Katara?" Aang asked.

Katara shook her head putting her hand up, "He was just a jerk, he didn't hurt me.." she said chuckling it off.

Aang glared back at the tavern, "Bunch of rotten slimy…." He mumbled.

Katara sighed and hid her smile at his reaction, "Really it's okay…." She took his hand and kissed his cheek.

It stopped Aang's mini threat rant in its tracks.

"That was very sweet of you Aang….thanks for standing up for me." she said.

Aang stood there frozen, except for his neck, which he turned looking at her.

"Well of course!" Aang said. "I-I couldn't let some guy just…well yeah!" he said being caught between trying to still be serious and being plain old befuddled from that kiss.

It was on the cheek yes, but a kiss none the less, and this was different from the other times she'd kissed his cheek, he could tell.

Suddenly he noticed that, they were both nearer to each other's faces then they had been a moment ago. He could tell because he could see the reflection of a strand of her hair in her eye as it hung in front of her face.

What's more, they were yet again, closer….her mouth was parting….and so was his….it was as if everything in him was on an automated system, moving by itself.

Suddenly there was a crash of a bottle somewhere near them, and they both looked away to the sounds origin.

Some more men were walking towards the bar in their direction.

Katara quickly put a strand of her hair back behind her ear clearing her throat.

Aang just rubbed his bald head.

"I should get us back home…" he said

He opened his kite glider and put a hand on her waist, she held onto him and he knelt down, then pushed up with a gust of wind that sent dust and old scraps of paper all over.

As they flew…Aang was taking everything in, the kiss…the would-be kiss, how he reacted to her being touched….what he was feeling now. It was all too familiar…but also all too wonderful….and horrible…


	43. Chapter 43

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

The song of home

_Ba Sing Se_

Zuko stretched and tightened his apron, no one was in the Tea house today, to many off out working this early. Still he had to brew the Tea just in case, wonderful…

He clanked the cups on the platter on his serving tray unenthusiastically and did the same with the Tea pot. He stopped himself hearing "Nephew!" in the back of his mind, "in a professional tea shop one must hold his pot, kettle and cup as a professional…" Zuko rolled his eyes and put it on the platter again, more gingerly but over dramatically so…heh, look at him, he was doing this and his uncle wasn't even there.

He backed out of the door of the kitchen with his Tea tray and as he turned around he nearly dropped it from surprise.

There was someone at the tables, a single girl with dark hair that looked more rough then fine. She was in a green dress work tunic, shabbier then his own work clothes, but still showed signs of being thoroughly hand scrubbed clean. Her face was well shaped and matched the rest of her body, small and cute.

She was the only one in the shop, tracing a circle with her nail on her table. She looked up at him, slowly despite his exclamation at her being there, and smiled at him.

"You okay?" she asked. Zuko quickly composed himself.

"I'm fine…" he said trying to sound as none caring as he could for her concern. Then realizing he was headed towards an awkward pause, which he hated, he spoke again.

"Do you want Tea?" wow that sounded like a dumb thing to ask in a place like this.

She nodded sweetly, "Lemon if you have any." She asked.

Zuko turned his back to her putting his tray down trying to regain himself, this one was friendly, that meant she might be a talker…. He did NOT want any customerly conversation right now.

"Hey? Do you want sugar or honey?" he asked pouring some Tea.

"My names Jin." He heard her say.

Great! He didn't want to get into names and she'd already started the process!

"And no sugar please, but honey would be nice." she finished.

"Sure." He half grumbled adding as much as he thought would be sufficient.

He turned around with piping hot cup and set it before her quickly, wanting this to be over before she could ask him HIS name. As a result a little spilt near the edge, and she scooted to the side away from the spill.

"Sorry!" he said quickly taking the hem of his apron to wipe it off.

Jin simply put her hand to her mouth giggling, "It's fine."

He got on one knee so he wasn't bent over and proceeded to get the hot drink off the seat.

"So what's your name?" she asked.

…and of course she asked him now when he couldn't rush off to say he was busy making something in the kitchen.

"Lee…" he sighed giving up.

"Thank you Lee." She said smiling, "Your new here?"

"I guess..." he half grumbled half sighed.

"You from the western district? You don't seem as tan." She asked.

"No I'm not." Zuko said flatly as he stood up from cleaning the rest off.

"Oh…" she said crossing her legs, "Where then? I come from the southern district myself."

Zuko picked up the tray once more and began to move towards the kitchen.

"That's nice." He said letting the swinging wooden doors wobble as he pushed through them.

"Um…" came Jin's voice in a questioning way. He squinted his eyes shut, maybe if he'd pretend that he was too far in the back to hear her.

"Could I have a spoon to stir this please?" he heard.

Dang it….

"One minute…" he replied.

He put the tray down and just took the spoon that was with it and marched back out the doors to her.

He outstretched it to her, ready to head back inside the moment it left his hand.

"Here you go." He said just as flatly as before.

She suddenly began giggling again, Zuko just stood there feeling awkwardly now, spoon outstretched.

"What?" he asked.

She put her hand over her mouth giggling the more, was there something on his face? Was it something he said? TAKE THE FRICKING SPOON ALREADY! The thought…

"Sorry.." she said finally.

"Whatever..." he said rolling his eyes at the ceiling, "Do you want the spoon or not?"

She took it from him.

"I do forgive me, it's just the way you reply to things." She said honestly.

He nodded briefly and turned to go again,

"Can I ask something else?" she said. He made a fist then stopped again, "What is it?"

"Do you have any other costumers here?" she asked.

"No why?" he answered shortly.

"Then…can you sit and talk with me?" he heard meekly.

Well that was to the point.

Golly this is why he was with Mai, she never initiated any of the conversations, hell they weren't even conversations when he tried starting one, that's what he disliked about the whole thing at the same time.

"Look…" he said, not even sure what excuse he was going to come up with as he turned around.

"I've got a lot of- "

He stopped looking at her eyes, they were pleading but not in a sappy way, yet as much as he ignored it he didn't really want to say no as much as he also didn't want to say yes. It wasn't like she was going to cry or anything just….Gah!

He ran his hand through his hair, "Listen…" he said, "I just started my shift, my uncle expects me to go out back and-"

He suddenly heard his uncles voice say from the counter "OH no worries there, he's worked twice as hard last night so there's no real work to be done out back, he's more than enough time to talk…"

Zuko kept his head down hoping that this "_Jin_" didn't see the scowl on his face from his uncle's interloping.

"And how is your day young lady?" he heard his uncle say politely behind him.

The perky voice of Jin answered, "So far so good, and thank you….?"

"Wong." Iroh said, Zuko could hear his feet shuffling back to the rear of the shop, at least he hadn't given his name out too-

"And my Nephew's name is Lee…" Iroh finished before the back door was heard closing.

_Damn you uncle…_.. Zuko thought to himself.

* * *

A low hum fell over the upper class neighborhood of Ba Sing Se as the sun slowly rose. The tune fell and rose like the shadows that moved slowly across the roves of the houses. It was the low music of a stringed, cello-like instrument, an instrument that was being played Daiken as he sat on the roof of their house. To be more specific it was the bit of roof just off of the balcony, but still it was beyond the hand rail. The device was known as the Cricket-Lute, it was gourd shaped, (like a Lute) around 3 and a half feet not counting the pole the strings were attached to, and he balanced it between the plates of the roof and his knee. He glided his hand gently in a fluid motion with his bow over and across the strings of his long box like contraption…his eyes closed the entire time.

It was to be the day before their infiltration of the birthday party for the Earth King's Bear. Daiken had thought that picking up a past time would help give validity to the ruse that they were all settling in and getting comfy. So while in marketplace the day before, he saw this Cricket-Lute, remembering he'd learned to play it when he was younger from his elders, and so, he invested in buying it.

He hadn't expected to play it so well after not having one in his hands so long but oddly enough, even if by accident, he found himself pulling out cello like notes from the instrument…so he saw no reason to stop, it was slowly reminding him of home…

Aang stepped out on the balcony of their house behind Daiken, smiling as he rubbed his eyes. He made sure not to make any noise so as not to interrupt Daiken from finishing.

He saw the sun peek over the roves, and finally past Daiken so that he was completely eclipsing the sun for a time, with the sounds being made and the way the light shown, it looked like a spirit world dream.

Finally Daiken finished.

"That was beautiful!" Aang said finally. Daiken turned around fastening the instrument to his back with the strap that came with it, securing the bow in the slot built for it.

"I am getting better it would seem." Daiken said nodding his head in gratitude, and stepped back over the rail.

"How do you do that?" Aang asked scratching the back of his head. Daiken raised an eyebrow unsure of what Aang meant.

"I mean do several things in one fluid motion like that without looking…you do everything that way." Aang embellished.

Daiken put a hand on his hip looking out at the sun that was rising brighter and brighter, "When you live the life of a Sand Nomad, you have to learn to adapt and move when it best suits you, packing things is second nature to us eventually so doing multiple tasks becomes simple when moving things."

Aang nodded, "I can understand that, it's amazing the resolve your people have…" Aang said.

"Thank you Avatar." Daiken said bowing his head. Aang shook his head, "No need for that, I'm not like your master or anything Sefu Sandman. In fact, I wanted to just say again, sorry if I had any…pre-assumptions about you on the way here, you've been nothing but loyal to us thus far and…I shouldn't have suspected all Sand People were that way.."

Daiken shook his head, "I'm afraid to many of us are now a days, the fault is not with you. As for my part here, it's only to offer what service I can, if you require it."

Aang smiled, "Like that, that right there, your belief in honor, it reminds me of the Air Monks…"

Daiken smiled a little, "I'm flattered you think so..."

Aang looked out at the now beautiful morning as well, "Who were your teachers mostly again?" he asked.

Daiken's little smile failed, "Those who were willing to teach, or pass down to a little boy who had nothing…"

"Hey gang!" Came a ring of Katara's voice, "Time for practice breakfast!"

Aang sighed and grinned, "Let's get going fellow bus boy…" and both young men turned to go inside to rehearse how proper society acts at a dining table.

* * *

Ty Lee awoke rubbing her eyes, what a toll taking dream….

She dreamt of herself back with all her sisters at home, but they all had different color hair, Azula and Mai were somehow trying to sneak into their house by pretending to be her sisters, and she was helping them, it made sense at the time in the dream…but what she did remember was the odd looking lemur bat creature flying to their window and wanting her to follow it. She remembered not wanting to at first because she was afraid she'd fall if she leapt out after it, Azula and Mai were also pulling her back from doing so, even pulling her hair along with the rest of her sisters.

Ty Lee had had to bite her lip and tug as much as it hurt to jump out the window but right before she could leap completely out, she'd awoken.

She could now see the sun light crawling up the wall from her window. Suddenly a shape fluttered in the silhouette of her window sill, she flipped out of the bed, and ran over, only to see a lark squirrel flapping its wings which resembled a lemur bats a little.

She sighed blowing a strand of hair out of her face…then watched the bird flutter away to join the flock it had deviated from.

It was silly, she supposed to think about Aang replying so soon, if his bat thingy made it back of course. Even then after all, she'd basically requested him to forget about her. It took so much for her to pen that to him, but she knew at the same time she had to, there was no foreseeable way for her to get to him, or vice versa, unseen anyway…

She walked up from the bed over to the mirror drawers and bureau. A steel basin of water sat on it, freshly left there by a servant of some kind.

She looked down into the reflection of it then back at the mirrors before her, sighing. Look at her now, confused, smile-less, her messed up, not pretty at all…..but Aang had said she was pretty, well to quote him "Beautiful…", and it was when her hair and face weren't made up either…..-sigh- and then he'd smile that smile that just…made her feel so…at home, and safe.

OH WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE BEHIND THE BIGGEST WALL IN THE WORLD!

Still, they had been on one of the regions biggest and most treacherous mountains in the Earth Kingdom and made it out, and he was the Avatar…

A small portion of her was begging for him to defy the odds, and her note, finding a way were there was none.

She began washing her face in the water, she could dream couldn't she? Imagining the window's curtain fluttering open, him standing there with one foot on the sill, the other on the floor, reaching out for her…

She threw her long hair over her face into the water basin to get it wet, than began cleaning it. She whipped her hair back over her shoulder and it made a "thwak" noise as it fell into the hands of Azula behind her.

Ty Lee yelped and turned around, eyes wide.

"Careful Ty…." Azula said letting Ty Lee's hair go, "You nearly got me wet…" and wiped her hands on her vest.

Ty Lee fumbled for her comb behind her.

"I uh, I didn't hear you come in…" she said.

Azula leaned a hand on the bureau, "Good news…" she said with a sneaky smile.

Oh those words, ever since she'd gotten off the mountain, those words which used to mean fun was soon to come, now were the scariest things for her to hear….

"That big behemoth of the Avatar's is by itself and leaving a trail of fur like it did last time…" Azula said grinning.

Ty Lee didn't quite know how to react to that as she wasn't expecting that to be the news.

"Oh…" she said, then shook her head out of her stupor, "Awesome!" she said grinning excitedly. She had to keep this act up…

"I knew it would click with you…" Azula said patting her shoulder like a child for finally getting something simple.

"With it in hand we actually have a bargaining chip against him, he loves that miserable thing more than he does himself…" Azula said glancing at the window.

Well now what was she too do, knowing Aang he would care very deeply about that animal…was this to be the way they'd meet again…?

"So um…" Ty Lee asked drying off her hair. "When do we begin the search?"

Azula strode back to the door, "Within the hour, so get yourself ready…"

So soon….

"R-right Azula, I'll be down before you can say –" but the door shut before she could finish.

She let out a breath of air, and leaned against the bureau.

She wished that lemur bat had come after she'd gotten the news, to at least warn him…but once again, she was working on her own, which was scary, but the memory of Aang was helping her be stronger, and the need to be with him again, to speak to him again was keeping her going….there was no point in stopping now…if he could get her off a mountain, and still only think about making sure her name was clear on that fire nation blimp, she could find a way to him…WITH his bison.

* * *

Jet walked back with his friends eating a fruit they had just bought…it had been days, since their casing of the two alleged Fire Benders home, but to no avail…they were the cleverest Fire Benders he'd seen yet. They blended in so well…even his friends thought he was mistaken, but he'd show them…they'd get jobs like he'd promised, live normally like he'd promised. Two could play at this, keeping it cool game…but he wouldn't let his guard down, and eventually they would….all he had to do was wait…

* * *

Aang finished serving the drink to Toph and Katara, Sokka had impressively gotten the hang of not dropping anything as he balanced plates on his arms. Unfortunately while he didn't lose his balance, he always looked like he was about to still…..

Toph dabbed her chin petitely with her napkin, "Very well…I'll give you all a 7 out of 10, Katara a 8 out of 10."

Everyone looked between each other, "Is that passable?" Daiken asked.

Toph threw the napkin over her shoulder and began slouching as she usually did, meaning the exercise was over. "Sure…" she said shrugging.

**"YES!"** Sokka exclaimed, dropping all of his plates.

Aang blew a gust of wind underneath them that suspended them for a time, then let them fall to the floor with less momentum so they spun around before they stopped moving.

"Either way we don't have enough time to drill in anything newer into you block heads…." Toph said reaching over the table to snag a muffin.

"It'll work…"Aang said, "it has too, for whatever reason, they want us to not see the King, we need to at least get a head start of finding out why…and that means getting in."

Katara put her hand on Aang's "We will…" she said assuringlly. Aang couldn't help but smile at that, but there was an opposite pull to the feeling as well…

As juvenile as it sounded, he'd had a dream the night before about him and Katara, but also Ty Lee…she was lost, somewhere in the woods, and Katara was wanting him to come with her to teach her how to fly because she apparently could bend air too, and her heart looked so broken whenever he'd look like he was going to say no…

Suddenly a thrumming noise of Daiken's Cricket-Lute was heard as Momo pawed at the strings of the instrument in the corner.

"Momo, that's not a toy." Aang corrected, "Come on boy, leave it alone…" he said reaching a hand out with a bit of breakfast in it.

Momo was on his arm in seconds nibbling at the piece of roll Aang had out.

Toph didn't slouch as much now, "That um, Cricket box thing of yours…" she said. "How long did you say you played it?"

Daiken drank from his cup then replied, "Not for a long time but since I was 7 most likely, it was one of the few things I learned at that age that didn't have to do with survival, so I sort of relished it."

Toph gulped down the rest of her muffin, "I've heard it played in the streets before by performers, never like that though…"

Daiken looked at her.

"I like your versions better…" she said honestly.

"Thank you." Daiken smiled at her.

Katara nodded, "It's quite beautiful, is it from your home? The tune I mean? I heard it when I woke today."

Daiken nodded, "It is, and thank you, I've yet to go in terms of learning it…"

Sokka gobbled down some Eggs sitting back at the table after putting the practice plates away again.

"Well the neighbors are getting interested, so I'd say your plan is working…" Sokka commented, "They're nosey as it is."

Aang sighed, "Nosey and quite…everyone's still too afraid."

Sokka looked over at Aang, "Oh right! How did your guy's excursion to that Shady pants guy go?"

Aang looked down, "Nothing…" Aang said.

"Do you think they were lying?" Toph asked.

Aang looked up, "Even if they were, I don't know how to begin looking for him, they never meet in their places of business, and they saw our money, they knew we were good for it, I have a feeling if they had Appa, they'd re-sell him…I think its because we were being followed its why we decided to stop going to those parts of town. We want the Dai Li or whoever to cause trouble."

Katara spoke up, "But with this plan going through, and perhaps getting the ear of the Earth King, we can have a little extra help in locating him, official help."

Sokka leaned back, "Well I'm just glad you two are okay, I was worried about letting you two go by yourselves, nothing happened right?"

Katara scoffed, "No Sokka, we were helpless the entire time…"

Aang blushed thinking of the actual events of them finding that bar, and then the walk home afterwards…sooner or later him and Katara would have to discuss that…

Daiken glanced at the window, "What is it?" Katara asked noticing this.

Daiken just watched, "Something's different…" he said.

"Different how?" Sokka said raising a brow.

Toph strained her ears, "I don't hear anything…"

"It's not a sound, it's a feeling, something is going to happen…" Daiken said seriously.

Ty Lee and Azula rode speedily through the woods on their lizard steeds, Brago and Mai next to them, followed by 4 or more foot soldiers.

The trail was fresh and getting nearer….and Ty was noticing Azula being ancy with anticipation the entire ride….Brago as well, she could tell he was eager to be from under the veil of shame that had passed to him since the defeat at the Drill had made them all look like failures.

At least it gave Ty a good excuse to act nervous herself, and even a little excited; this wasn't Aang they were about to find, just his bison, but still, he was a way TOO get to Aang. Now she wasn't sure what she was going to do…free him when no one was looking and fly him over the wall? Maybe…she wasn't even sure if the opportunity would come, but still there was a way now…

Suddenly something caught her eye and she looked to the right, she thought she saw a pair of eyes watching them, moving nearly as fast as they were through the trees along side them, but it was gone now as if by magic.

She looked straight again and saw Brago's eye still fixed on the right of them, had he seen it too?...

* * *

Daiken stood outside in the back terrace area of their home, eyes shut, arms looking like they were folded.

Suddenly he drew them out opening his eyes in the same motion, sand jumped from the ground around him and shot outwards like two whips that became blades, slicing the tall grass to the side of him. He spun around getting low, swiping outward with his foot like a kick, making the sand raise up and mimic his motion.

He curved his arms and his body in effect contorting so he went all the way around as his feet pivoted then pushed out with his fists in a C strike, sending the sand outwards like a hammer at a rock, and it successfully pushed the rock and rolled it on its side….and it was a large rock resembling him in size.

Finally he stopped.

"You were watching?" he said.

He heard two small feet plant themselves on the ground making dent in the earth despite the owners size, and then walk over to him.

He turned around to see of course, Toph walking up to him after jumping from the porch rails she had been watching him from.

"Well not watching exactly…" she said. Daiken smirked at that.

"Those are some interesting moves, the earth your bending moves with different chi then a lot of other benders I've faced. " she went on, "And your style..varies….allot."

Daiken turned around to face her fully, "It's true, our tribes bending style is unique to say the least, a mutt form…"

Toph folded her arms, "There was fire and water style in those strikes…"

Daiken made some sand rise into his hand and it snaked up his arm literally going around it until it stopped in his palm.

"It's like water in many ways…" he explained, its fluid, lucid, but can be hard if set to do so, and still considerably heavy. To move it fluidly our style is likened to water benders, to make it rigid enough for confounding attacks, we use the standard Earth style, and for the rapidness that sends sand in spurts…fire."

Toph just nodded, "I could tell…effective too, I guess…"

"You guess?..." Daiken said.

Toph shrugged, "Seems a little over thinking-ish to me…"

Daiken let the sand slide through his fingers, "Bending something at it's core is what helps you learn to control the thing itself. I don't need to tell you that I'm merely bending smaller versions of the boulders you pelt around, but also many of them at a time, in unison, you have to break something down before you can know how to make something else out of it. Like people…"

Toph chuckled a little, "Your starting to sound like that Fire Nation guy…"

"Pardon?" Daiken said catching his voice.

"Nothing.." Toph said. Daiken breathed easier, not that he had let on he was startled terribly.

"Then again…." Toph continued, "Yes?" Daiken asked.

"You said you were honored we have you here, and you've proven yourself honest so far…and I've routed for you." Toph said.

Daiken waited for the "and, or "but."

"But this makes me kind of curious…" she went on.

"About what?" Daiken asked. Toph looked up at him, "Your style is mutt , but you commune with each elements nature to know it at its "Core" as you say, you don't learn that from being in the sand dunes alone….someone who know how to bend each would've had to have taught you…"

Daiken said nothing.

"Water bender in the middle of desert country…I could buy…but a fire bender willing to teach you let alone be out there themselves, let's just say I'm curious to hear." She said.

Daiken sighed, "Your perceptive."

"And waiting…" Toph said not unfolding her arms.

Daiken put his own hands on his hips, "Very well, and I suppose this was going to come out anyway…there are…and have been traveling circus's that have to traverse the Deadlands sometimes to avoid blockades, they usually consisted of a very mixed ethnic group..gypsies and the like."

Toph admitted this sounded like a legitimate alibi, "So you were trained by the circus is that it?"

It would certainly explain his acrobatic skills…she thought.

"Not entirely…" Daiken continued, "If you could see you would notice, my eyes are the same…kind as a fire benders…very nearly."

Toph nodded, "I'd over heard someone bringing that up."

Daiken glanced from side to side making sure that they weren't being heard, "My mother was able to bend fire, it's one of the reasons my clan was in constant feud."

"I see…" Toph said.

Daiken sighed, "I am in fact as well as form, a Mutt…so my own form is mixed in turn."

The wind blew slightly and both of them turned their heads, realizing they were both half expecting it to be Aang.

Seeing it wasn't they resumed, "So now you know…" Daiken finished.

Toph nodded, "That song you were playing earlier this morning, I could tell it was something meaningful from how you were doing it…it was remembering your family wasn't it?"

Daiken sighed, "Yes it was…"

"It was very pretty…" she said.

Daiken smiled, "Well I liked to write about beautiful things, well play them…"

Toph nodded, "You're made up from different nations, you have a concept of unity, its why you're so endeared to Aang's mission."

Daiken watched as some leaves blew between them and caught one. "I've seen my own clan tear itself apart over trivialities, if there's a chance to stop it at a global scale…I want to be a part of it, and not just help in little ways collecting bounties on people."

"Helping those kids wasn't a little way…" Toph said, "And Aang said you did it for free, believe me I know slackers, and you aren't one of em."

Daiken smiled, and somehow Toph could tell. "Thanks for being upfront."

Daiken let the leaf go, "Thank you for trusting me to be…"

Toph shrugged, "Eh, I got a thing with knowing people…probably comes with being blind, sight can screw things up for you I've found. To many people've got the ability to see and don't use it for crap." She flicked some wax out of her ear as she said this.

"I'll agree with you on that, you see things in an irreplaceable way, in some ways I envy you for that." Daiken said.

"Believe me it has its downs as well as ups." Toph said, "Still it keeps me sharper and safer than the average Badger Bear."

Daiken chuckled his low rumble sounding chuckle, "A Badger Bear gave me the scar I have."

"Oh!" Toph said, "Déjà vu."

Daiken tilted his head, "How so?"

Toph laughed a little, "Oh just a run in with another weird mysterious guy who has a scar. Ironically also Fire Nation…"

Daiken smiled, "I believe I know who you're referring to. Unlike his, mine is not nearly as extensive, and goes across my cheek and lip."

"How deep?" Toph asked, then realizing how awkward that may sound, added; "Those things have been known to knock over trees, how bad is it?"

Daiken squinted his eyes a bit as the wind picked up even more, "Just a graze really but enough to be noticeable. It felt worse then it looked."

Deciding to not care about how it sounded Toph asked, "Can I see?"

Daiken raised a brow understanding what she meant, "I see no reason you shouldn't…" he said.

"I've seen everyone else's face so far so…" Toph said.

She reached her hand up and felt Daiken's face softly, it was young like hers or Sokka's or Aangs, yet course from days in the desert and sand storms, more firmly structured to be sure, she could see what he meant about being gypsy mixed.

Well featured at that, strong…she glided her fingers to his chin and jaw to finish the portrait in her head. The scar was there alright, not deep enough to be serious trouble, but like he said, enough to be noticeable, going down like a lightning strand from his cheek to his jaw, and branching out to his lip.

All together…he had a very nice face…not hard on the mind's eye to say the least…went right along with his physique, which she had already seen due to feeling the vibrations in the ground to tell he was considerably in shape.

"Do I pass the physical?" Daiken asked.

"Nice." She said. "Your face I mean." Wow that sounded worse.

"Thank you…" Daiken said chuckling again, "Same to you?" he said.

"Oh…" Toph said not expecting the complement, she brushed some hair behind her ear then cleared her throat trying not to give away herself.

"So what happened to the Badger Bear?" Toph asked.

"I killed it." Daiken said simply.

"Sweeet." Toph said. She had just opened a Pandora's box full of finding reason to like this new comer.

"So who was your totem creature?" Toph asked putting her hands on her hips.

Daiken again replied simply; "Meer-Cobra."

Toph grinned broadly, "Awesome! That makes total sense!"

The Meer-Cobra (Meerkat Cobra) was a dune dwelling creature famous for its tunnels, its darting and jerkish like movements and speed, and its hood which alerts its foes to stay at bay, or aid it in covering itself with sand, and shoveling the earth before it as it digs for smooth cave walls. The liquid like yet fierce movements of the creature made it an ideal totem for any Sand Bender, let alone Daiken.

"And yours is…badger mole." Daiken said in reply.

"Yep." Toph said cocking her head and hip to the side.

"I'd of guessed that, your form is stronger than most adults in that style, I'm going to go out on a limb and say a silver backed badger mole."

Toph was impressed, most everyone knew that the totem of nearly every and any Earth Bender was a badger mole but it took a real connoisseur to know there were differentiating styles with the different kinds of badger mole as each had their own style of digging and Earth moving.

"Not many guess that…" Toph said.

"Its cause of your size." Daiken said bluntly, "Those particular kinds of moles are known for their greatness in strength more than size, and their size is considerable, it makes sense you'd want to learn to be the strongest you could be for your body type, and then surpass that."

"…you feel like sparring?" Toph asked with anticipation dripping.

She heard and felt Daiken's foot slam into the dust and slide to the left as he got a little lower, and heard his hand go into a fist behind his back.

"I feel as if it's the only place to go from here…" he said grinning with a smirk.

Toph grinned herself and put both her hands up into an open handed defensive move, her feet feeling the dirt and pressing her weight into the ground. She also felt him making the sand shift around her toes and feet, he wasn't going to make this battle as determinable for her as others had…..THIS WAS GOING TO BE AWESOME!

Meanwhile inside Sokka was attempting to finish a house of royal cards he had found in one of the drawers of their home when suddenly he felt what he thought was an Earth quake which polted him through his intricately built tower of cards making them all rain down around him.

"Earth Quake!" he wailed, but then heard the maniacal laughter of Toph outside as the rumbling went on, then the sound of a loud grunt of Daiken as if he was pushing or throwing something large, and heard the ground move again, and Sokka was also certain, something made of glass somewhere in the house shattered.

Upstairs however, Katara was doing her hair like Toph had taught her. She suddenly felt the house shake a little and heard Toph's laughter that Sokka had heard. She thought about getting up to check but decided it wasn't worth it and to keep on task. She had to make this work, make sure that she and everything else was perfect…this meant to much to Aang. The possibility of changing the course of the War and in effect the world, right in his grasp, and yet still unable to meet with the King who could get it started. And then there was Appa, it was like living without an arm after rehab hasn't fully worked its course being without him, she could see it in him…

Plus ending the War could help bring her and Sokka's Father home, and Aang saw that, and wanted it done more passionately then anyone aside from her and Sokka. She had to repay that, to help that, to help ease his burden that she saw on him daily, help him forget all the things that were confusing him…to make up for confusing him herself in the past….she would never let someone like them get that close again, so close to hurting Aang or getting him killed, that was her fault. She had thought she didn't want to before but, in the end no one does what they WANT a lot of the time, their father didn't want to go to war, and they didn't want him gone, but there it was….and she had to confess, she had feelings for Aang, it wasn't a lie, she wasn't pretending for his sake, she did love him…she was just…unsure to what degree, but now it was clear, this occurrence had made it clear….she had-

Suddenly there was a knock at her door.

"Come in?" she said putting her come down.

Aang stepped in, and she saw him in her mirror, "Hey Katara…" he said with his sheepish grin. It wasn't blushing because she was in anything indecent, it was because he was entering a girls quarters, he was so adorable like that..

"Hey Aang!" she said smiling into the mirror at him.

"Um…" Aang said, "Can we talk?"

* * *

Azula pushed her lizard steed further, her eyes burning, she could taste the victory before them. If Brago's information was correct, Kyoshi warriors were reported having activities in this wood….good, she needed something to vent her anger out on.

Suddenly they could hear it….the sound of that infernal creature, just over the ridge beyond the fallen log before them.

She pulled the reins on her beast to make it's lizard paws go to a quick trot that was silent…a great advantage of having a mongoose dragon…

She could hear voices as well, female ones, it was the Kyoshi alright…. She raised her hand into a fist and her men…and women stopped their lizards.

Brago looked over his shoulder in the direction they came, only the sound of crickets behind them was heard but his look of suspicion was bothering Ty Lee…what was his keen "army instincts warning him about?

Azula jerked her arm pointing two fingers to her left and then one finger as she pointed her hand to her right. Then made a fist in the air, that was for her and Mai.

Knowing the signal, her men branched out with Brago and his troop taking up the left, the others the right, and Mai and Azula and Ty taking up center…Azula obviously wanted to plunge into this action…

She edged her lizard quietly up the hill behind the fallen log, then spurred it forwards with her heals to make it slither over it, Mai and Ty Lee did the same.

Azula let both her hands go off the reins, for she was that skilled of a rider, and jetted both her arms outward at their foes, flaming.

* * *

_Ba Sing Se: Avatar's house_

Well this was a fine kettle of fish…his attempt to talk to Katara was now dashed, for Sokka had fallen down the stairs and now had a bloody nose do to the shaking caused by Toph and Daiken's sparring, leaving Katara to tend to him while Daiken after apologizing, elected to practice his Cricket-Lute some more.

Which now left Toph and Aang alone.

Toph's hair was disheveled, and her clothes either torn in patches or worn….but there was that undeniable grin on her face, so it must have been good.

Aang sighed, who was he fooling? He didn't even know what he was going to tell Katara! Finally he caved and decided he may as well ask the avatar of manly and womanly wisdom…

"Toph…?" Aang asked. "Yeah twinkle toes?" Toph replied. "Yooooou seem to be getting along with Daiken.." Aangs said cheerily.

"He's a good spar partner…" Toph said running a hand through her hair trying to readjust her Barrett as she said it.

"So what else is it?" She asked, "I can tell there's more you want to say, so either keep it fully to yourself or spit it out…!"

Aang sighed, "Okay well…you know about how mean and…well how me and Katara…."

Toph finished for him when he took too long; "Beat around the bush to the point of me wanting to ring both your necks?"

Aang breathed out, "Okay yeah that…but well like each other…" he said.

Toph just kept walking with, "Well duh…" she said flatly waiting for him to get to the point.

Aang took another breath… but before he could formulate other words Toph took over for him.

"You have feelings for this fire nation girl on the other side of this brick fest…"

Aang's eyes bugged out and he looked at Toph, she just shook her head and turned his head to keep looking straight as they walked towards the door.

"I can hear them, Katara is still with Sokka out of ear shot unless she has my hearing, which she doesn't…and don't act so shocked, you'd have to be a dunder head to not guess it."

Aang rubbed his scalp, "Wow…does Sokka know?"

"Of course not." Toph said.

Aang shook his head, "And your okay with this?"

Toph pushed the door open, "Why should I NOT be okay, it's your head, to get wrapped around whoever you want to wrap it.."

Aang held the door open for her, "I just don't know…" Aang said. "On the mountain it was so different…._WE_ were so different.."

"You and Katara?" Toph asked.

"No." Aang said, "I mean yes! I mean…gah! Yes between me and her, and me and Ty Lee…"

"Riiiight…" Toph said rubbing her temples with a dirty hand.  
"Look twinkle toes….this is how I see it. You have it bad for this girl right?"

Aang looked down, "I guess I'd have to say do…"

Toph went on, "Oh come on, your more hung over this then you usually are about Appa…"

Aang would have taken offense to that if it weren't true..but nodded.

Toph sighed, "Look I'm not Katara, you don't have to act ashamed of your feelings for her with me…okay kid?"

Aang felt that like one of the sparring punches Toph gave when she didn't hold back, and in a way she wasn't this time.

"I'm not ashamed…" Aang said more for his own benefit then anything, "I'm just…it hurts Katara I think…to talk about her…she's acts like she feels the same way now, well the way I felt for her…feel for her before…I mean-"

Toph moaned "Boy oh boy…Twinkle-Toes, Katara's never stopped loving you…" Toph said.

Aang glanced at her, "Really?" he asked.

Toph shook her head, "I may have been mistaken about the exact amounts of dunder heads earlier…I could tell you were into her, a lot, and she….well we both know, she wasn't back then. And all of a sudden, now she is now that she had you back, and you think its because she thought you were nearly dead and now that she has you back her true feelings have come to the surface and to long for this Too-too girl…"

Aang corrected her, "Ty, Ty Lee…"

"Tee-Pee…whatever, wanting this girl would betray Katara because she's finally admitting how she feels about you and you don't want her to feel she's done that for nothing…" Toph finished.

Aang blew out a wiff of air, "Wow your good at this…yes that's exactly it, and I mean, I do love Katara, I haven't stopped either!"

Toph huffed, "Oh I know, and Katara hasn't stopped the way she has either…"

Aang nodded, "Exactl- wait what?"

Toph looked at him, "She IS scared for you twinkle toes, but let's face it this isn't the only time you've been separated or in danger or even captive….the reason this times different then the other, is because of miss…Ty ty…"

Aang thought to himself "close enough.."

Toph finally stopped them as they came to a culdesac in the neighborhood road.

"It wasn't a sin for Katara to feel honestly the way she did, or didn't before you vanished, and it isn't a crime for you to feel this way towards Ty leeson, but you do have to discover for yourself, not only which is better for you, but which is genuine….because if both you go in this with alternate agenda's, it's going to ruin a better friendship then it will miss one."

Aang just looked up at the sky, he could see the moon even though it was day time…

"You should talk to her about it, let her know that you know she's concerned about you and that for now you need some space to think about it..or something ." Toph suggested. "Get to the core of it, find out what builds your relationship up, then you can fully rebuild it."

Aang smiled a little, "A Shaw-woman now are we?" he joked.

Toph shrugged, "Eh, something I picked up."

* * *

Azula threw the second blast, the third the fourth, in a blinding flurry of blue. Fallen pieces of wood caught fire to the left and right of her, and the Kyoshi warriors as much as they tried to stay in formation were being scattered, and every time they tried to make for the trees, some of her troops would either net them up or hold them at bay by setting fire to the tree stem they would try to climb.

The prize of their objective was still behind the three warriors that were putting up the most fight, that accursed Bison.

Suddenly the one who appeared to be the leader did a back flip over the other two as they advanced throwing shurkins.

These were blocked in mid air by knives thrown by Mai.

The one who back flipped was heading towards the bison, picking up a burning piece of wood in the process yelling:

"Get back! Run! Fly away, find Aang! Get out of here!"

Curse her! Azula made a fist and polted her fiercest fire ball right at her head. She was deviating her attention now, but now the Sky Bison was backing up and flapping its tale to cause it to lift off the ground.

The Kyoshi warrior deflected it with her mini shield but it was knocked out of her hand in the process.

Suddenly she heard a grunting to her left as she saw a taller Kyoshi charging at her with a much broader sword then a katana, attempting to cleave her and Azula ducked out of the way , head down and arms outwards.

Ty Lee on the other hand had already pressure poked out of necessity several Kyoshi's for fear of being hacked up or seeing the same happen to her friends, it was the Terra team all over again…

Suddenly she heard a roar and looked up in time to see the leader of the Kyoshi's with the short ish hair descend upon her in a jump attack with her Katana. She could evade and counter, but it would break her jaw, she held back not knowing what to do….

-CLANG!- "Ty Lee!" came the sturdy voice of Brago as his own blade got in the way of the Kyoshi's.

"Master Suki!" came the call of one of the warriors with the bow and arrow. "The Bison is away!"

The Leader called Suki just yelled, "Fall back! Repeat fall back!"

Soon Suki and Brago began interlocking in fierce combat that rather baffled Ty. Neither she or Mai had ever seen anyone give Brago such a test in swordsmanship, or seen him cut loose enough to show his skill, and it was unreal the amount of quickness the two used flawlessly, a lot of the time without looking.

Suddenly with a blast of blue light, the one called Suki was pelted in the back as she flipped away from a sword swipe and fell down smoking.

Ty Lee out of instinct put her out with her foot before any real fire could spread, but Suki lay still.

Only two other warriors remained standing, one with the bow, and the one with the long sword.

"For the honor of Lady Kyoshi, we will die before we…" they could not finish their sentence for there was a blood curdling scream of a man and a Fire Nation Calvary man flew from the trees hitting a rock in the clearing where they fought.

Brago, Mai, Azula, the warriors, Ty Lee, and the remainders of Brago's men stared for a second at the man, his face was red and hissing like a 3rd degree burn.

"What did you do to my soldier!" Brago demanded pointing his sword at them."

The Kyoshi's looked genuinely disgusted and confused, "What? We didn't do that, your own soldiers did, we can't bend fire!"

One of the warriors however widened their eyes as they remembered where they had seen burns like that before in a little town….

They immediately turned their attention towards the place where he'd flown as more men's screams were heard along with the rushes and wooshing of flames.

A few bamboo stalks began to part and snap, or act like they'd been sliced, closer to the clearing.

There was an odd sound of splattering right as the screaming of a man stopped.

The man skidded out of the bushes to Azula's feet, his eyes gone, his flesh charred…

They all looked up as coming out of the reeds, was the pale man in an Indigo hood.

Both Kyoshi Warriors looked at each other knowing him to be the man they'd seen coming back from the town they'd passed…and the same crawling feeling was coming over their skin, and contrasting his dark cloak and white skin was the splotch of fresh red on his finger tips and shoulder…

(Art for the mysterious hooded man is uploaded now to me profile wall.)


	44. Chapter 44

_Unexpected Welcome_

Two days before

Daiken wandered through the streets of Ba Sing Se along with Aang and Sokka. Katara was learning proper etiquette, and shopping for fancy things to wear for the event. Sokka was attempting to carry himself like a nobleman, and so was Aang. Daiken simply strolled as he normally did.

Suddenly they heard the sweet, yet deep music that sounded cello-like. It's beauty caught Daiken's ear making him deviate his path from the groups. Sure enough there was a crowd watching someone play a stringed instrument.

It was a woman, hooded and cloaked in dark grey. They could tell by her exposed hands and arm that she was a woman, though one of her hands were bandaged about the wrist and hand. All up and down her arm which was bare from having no sleeve, they could see tattoos.

The instrument itself was embroidered as intricately as the markings on the woman's skin. This device was called a Cricket-Lute, played just like a cello with a bow or crickets leg, which is where it got its name.

Many had gathered now to watch this woman play, hunched over and focused, her face never seen from behind her long head of dark hair that hung from her hood.

Aang and Sokka finally made their way to the crowd Daiken was now immersed in.

Sokka was about to nudge Daiken for them to keep moving but Aang held his arm, smiling. It was a beautiful composition he had to admit, and what harm was there in listening for a while when they had not be practicing to do for the day?

Finally the woman finished playing and the crowd clapped increasingly before departing one by one. Some of them put money in the woman's Lute-case. Aang took out a few coins and gave them to Momo who took them, chewed on one, then fluttered down off his shoulder to case, dropping the money in.

Sokka again unctioned the party to keep moving, but Daiken lingered.

"I wish to buy one of those…" Daiken said focusing his attention on the Cricket-Lute the musician was now packing away.

"Why?" Sokka asked, "Do you know how to play one of those things?"

Daiken didn't answer but approached the woman, she turned to him standing up. Once standing, the group could see she should head and shoulder above them. Behind her dark hair was lightly completed face, not pale, but milky, like a tannish white eggshell.

"Excuse me…" Daiken started politely.

As the woman turned to look him eye to eye, they could see that she had a bandage made of the same material that bandaged her arm, wrapped around her head, covering one of her bright green eyes. Her gaze was soft but intent, expecting no nonsense, and seeing none in Daiken.

"Pardon me, but could I inquire you as to where I could buy one of these Cricket-Lutes?" Daiken finished.

The woman looked at him as if she was finishing analyzing him and his friends, then said; "You play then?"

He nodded his head, "I do…not in a very long time however…"

The woman cocked her eye brow then almost smiled, it was the same "almost" smile that Daiken had nearly.

"And the rest of you?" she said glancing at Aang and Sokka who stood at attention.

"Oh we're just his friend's, it's the first time seeing that instrument." Aang said.

"Yeah, and you're very good at it by the way…" Sokka added hurriedly. They had to admit, it was odd they feel so nervous about her, and it wasn't simply her height compared to theirs, but also a presence she had. Aside from her covered eye it was plain to see she was strikingly attractive for her age of possibly mid 30's, but still she had an air of mysteriousness about her that they couldn't shake.

She smiled warmly to them and said, "Very well, follow me then…" and like that she turned around and walked down the dusty streets towards a shop.

The pair followed her and Daiken into the doors of a shop not but a block aways from where she was playing.

All along the walls were musical instruments, scrolls marked with parchment tags that read what musical rendition was written inside. There were Lute's, Lyre's, harps, a few medium sized drums, some chimes on rods, and some wood sanders on a shelf.

Aang and Momo looked around curiously like little children in a toy story at all the different contraptions, Aang couldn't help but run his hand along the base of a beautifully sanded Lute that hung suspended from the ceiling.

The woman turned around to face them once she'd gotten behind shop's counter, and taken off her hood revealing what a long of a head of hair she actually had.

"You are new in town Mister….?" the woman asked, leaving the end open for Daiken to state his name.

"Daiken, ma'am…" he said bowing his head. "And yes, we are recent envoys."

She nodded to him, "Daiken, I am called Diza…(_Deez-zah_) …"

"This is a lovely shop you have hear Miss Diza." Aang said perkily, Momo chortled in unison.

"You make all of these?" Sokka asked taking everything in.

Diza smiled, "Some of them, the rest are left over from when my father made them, he taught me how and how to play them afterwards so I've been making them ever since."

"Did you make that one you were playing in the street?" Sokka asked looking through the warped glass of some odd contraption that gave the effect of a kaleidoscope.

Diza nodded, "I did, well it was one of the last ones me and my father worked on together…now are you the only one buying today?" she asked glancing at Daiken again.

Daiken nodded. "So what is it I can do you for, Daiken?" she asked putting both her hands on the counter, making the tattoo's on her arms move.

Daiken glanced around, than behind him at his friends who were still staring wide eyed at all of her wares, Sokka in particular who was poking at some chimes to see which made what sound.

He turned back to her and his expression changed, narrowing his eyes a tad. "I'm looking for something…around your Lute's size…weight…and equipment."

She leaned in a bit herself and her own piercing green eye met his two gold ones, "I see…." She said evenly.

"Come with me in the back, I believe I've something you'll appreciate…" she said, and again swiftly glided it seemed into the back of the shop pulling back the curtain in a fluid motion making it seem as if the fabric enveloped her.

Daiken followed after her without hesitation, and Aang and Momo cocked their heads as he did, not feeling uneasy but also sure that something was….heh, they didn't even know…

Once in the back room, Daiken saw a hallway leading to some stairs which most likely lead to her sleeping quarters or such, and a door which was padlocked, but recently undone. He saw the last of her cloak go in and heard her whisper, "This way…"

Daiken followed a little slower than he had before, and saw a room filled with the shells of unfinished Lute's and Lyre's, but at the end was a ladder leading into a form of cellar.

After descending into to dimmer light, he saw a cave like room, with shelves just like the workshop above, but instead of instruments, there were swords, and chains and geared contraptions and bags of smoke makers.

At the end of the room stood Diza, "Let's see about making you a Cricket-Lute…" she said.

When Daiken reemerged from the curtain to meet his friends waiting in the workshop, he had strung over his shoulder, a shiny new looking Cricket-Lute case.

"Ooooh!" Sokka said.

"Can we see what it looks like?" Aang said excitedly.

Daiken unslung it and opened it to reveal a Charki Wood Cricket-Lute, new enough for Aang and Momo to see their reflections in it.

"How much was this?" Sokka asked.

Diza came out of the curtain next, "For him, I decided to give him a discount…"

"Really?" Aang asked.

Diza nodded, "I rarely see someone who recognizes old styled music around here, even if they are refugee's. My father would want to extend the same curtsey…"

"Thank you very much…" Daiken said bowing his head, then striking his chest with his fist, showing the lotus tattoo on his hand in the process to her.

The woman's single green eye twinkled and she smiled folding her arm, revealing to only him, a similar lotus tattoo on her arm underneath a dragon's claw. "You're most welcome…" she replied.

* * *

Present day

Some drops of Blood splattered on Ty Lee's horrified face as she saw one of Brago's men spiral on his way to the ground with a lifeless look of shock. He immediately was shoved to the side like a dead doll by his killer, the Hooded pale man, rushing with his head down, his face focused more than angry.

One of the Fire Nation soldiers came at the man and fire bent a fire ball at him.

The hooded man simply side stepped his oncoming flame, and then another and then another until he was right up to the man.

Before he could jump back or fire bend again, the fire Nation guard was grabbed by the face and then steam or smoke erupted from underneath the man's palm and finger tips as he bellowed in pain futilely before finally his head was wrenched in an awkward direction and then moved no longer…it was literally as if the hooded man had used no effort at all.

Ty Lee boldly leapt at the man to deliver a swift kick or punch to render him motionless but to her amazement, he jumped back fwipping his cape back with him as he did, and in the process caught the hem of his long cloak on fire from some of the burning shrubbery from the previous battle. Then grabbing the side of it, swung the fiery hem of his cloak at her in rapid flurry's as he stepped forwards.

Ty Lee hopped out of the way in surprise and found herself being the one avoiding him in this fight, as every time he swung the cape at her, it was with the speed of a whip, a fiery whip.

A Fire Nation soldier rushed at him, sword held high, but the Hooded stranger simply swung his cape out to the side to meet him, and the burning part wrapped around his face like a towel and the soldier tore at it franticly to get it free in anguish.

He used the long cloak to yank the man by his head back to him, then kicked him into Ty Lee in the process of unraveling his cape from his now burning face…all this within a matter of seconds.

Mai threw her knives in a flurry of 2's and 4's, making bee lines for his head. Almost expecting this, their phantom assailant spun around, fwipping his cloak to catch the knives as he moved his body out of the way, then unfurled it sending the knives in various directions.

Brago deflected one of these as he recovered his bearings, a nearby Kyoshi warrior was not so lucky, being clipped on the arm by one of the blades.

The hooded man grabbed his capes burning end, and it went out as he did, then let it sink smoking to the ground with the rest of his cloak.

"MEN!" Brago bellowed, "CONVERGE!"

Brago's troops poured out of the woods on either side…except the side of the woods where this mysterious man had appeared from…Brago could only assume it meant all the soldiers on that side were dead…he knew he had seen a face following them through the trees…

The men on their lizard steeds let go of their reigns as they were trained to do and sent a barrage of flames at the stranger.

With the speed of a jaguar the Hooded intruder squatted and ran to the left, cape and cloak flowing behind him like a batwing fluttering.

Both Brago and the Kyoshi warriors were a little stunned with how fast he was moving. Even with all their soldiers blasting at him, it seemed like they were only burning the places his foot last stepped as he ran. A few of Brago's Calvary men road after him as he ran, rapiers out and ready to hew into him.

Taking advantage of this random distraction, the Kyoshi warriors found new strength and pushed back against the Fire Nation Troops that now had had them surrounded.

The startled troops found themselves shaken and unsure how to handle an attack from both a Kyoshi wave and this mysterious new killer.

A few more of the Kyoshi warriors had come to, and now sped to their fallen leader and picked her up by her arms and attempted a retreat, but suddenly a blue flash of light lit the long grass in front of them ablaze cutting off their escape.

"You're not going anywhere…" Azula hissed.

Suddenly while running away from the constant barrage of fire balls, the Hooded stranger leapt in the air which carried him at least 2 yards towards a tree, and kicked off of it, back at the stunned fire bending lizard-rider, landing on the long neck of his beast and continuing his momentum grabbed the soldier by the neck and wrenched him out of his saddle…snapping his neck in the process.

Ty Lee flinched seeing this out of the corner of her eye, and Mai staggered a bit in surprise…even Azula and the Kyoshi warriors she was now facing off against couldn't hide their reactions at this Stranger and his seemingly emotionless and lighting fast execution.

But the Hooded man hadn't stopped yet, and was now furiously hopping from one of the Lizards to the other, and subsequently killing their riders as he did. Each time one bent fire at him, he'd duck it or they would for some strange reason miss him by inches, right before he'd gouge them or slice them with something under his cloak. Some of them he'd even burn somehow but it was too quick to see, there'd be a spark or a flash of smoke rising from which ever part of their body he grabbed and then they'd be smoldering…

Ty Lee and Mai backed up from the fight as the scaly monsters were now bucking furiously and whipping their long tales about with the spiked bracelets put on them for battle. Ty Lee saw a wounded Kyoshi warrior in the path of one of them and quickly yanked her out of the way while avoiding one herself…

The Hooded man leapt off his most recent lizard in a flip and turned just in time to see one final Calvary man attempting to trample him as he reared his beast up on its hind legs hissing.

Rather than dodging or rolling out of the way, the Hooded man took one step back then charged the huge creature, jabbing his two hands against its underbelly and doing something to it which made it shriek out in pain. Ty Lee could suddenly see smoke hiss from underneath his hands on the creature, and seemingly out of brute force, nearly pick the beast up as he pushed it and it's rider over on its side onto another Calvary man and his Lizard.

The spiraling and spazzing lizard's long tale lashed out, clipping a Kyoshi warrior, and Azula right in the gut, thankfully for her with a bare part of the tale, but it did knock the wind out of her…what's more the shrill shrieking lizard fell down dead on top of her, pinning her to the ground.

Ty Lee who had ducked the tale when it swung rushed to Azula's side, "Azula!" she cried, then heard a man's scream as she turned to see the hooded man lifting one of the fallen riders off the ground by his neck and face. The man muffled a scream into his hand before going limp and being cast to the side, with his face covered in burn marks with the shape of his hand.

Ty Lee gulped…

Suddenly a Kyoshi warrior held up her katana towards the hooded man, "That's enough…" she said. "Thank you for helping us bu-"

She never finished her sentence for at a dazzling speed, in a few strides he had already covered the distance between himself and her, had his hands firmly on hers with the Katana raised all too late to counter him, and the other hand on her throat…the steam like smoke sizzled from under his hand and then let the stunned girl drop.

He emotionlessly wiped the charred Kyoshi make up off his hands.

Suddenly Ty Lee heard the female cry of the Kyoshi warriors in unison as they suddenly leapt into the fray at their sister's murderer…

The Hooded man looked to the side at them as the flames from the previous battle burned around him, the look on his face wasn't confusion, but certainly annoyance or not counting on that happening.

Suddenly a Fire Nation Soldier attempted to bend at the Kyoshi warrior who deflected it with her shield, Brago barked at the soldier, **"HEY, he's the enemy right now! Leave them!"**

The Kyoshi warrior nodded in frowning gratitude for the "mutual understanding" and dove back into the fray.

Not a moment too soon for the Hooded man had taken his breather and now again dashed directly at the thick of them.

Immediately the men began bending at him, and again he seemed to loop and dive out of the way of their Fire balls, still not bending himself for some reason…not apart from the burning people at close contact.

As he passed by one of the Kyoshi's, it looked as if his cloak clipped her across the face, and as the cape passed over her, she spun around as if she was hit by something hard, and there was a gash in her throat.

The fury of the Kyoshi's was even more insatiable as they lunged at him, twirling their swords and slicing down at him.

He dodged these, not as easily as he had the Fire bending, but enough to back up before getting cut.

Staying in fluid, blindingly fast motion, he grabbed onto the arm of one of the Kyoshi's who over extended her lunge, and a sound like a crunching was heard and she cried out holding her arm as he pushed past her to the next warrior in his way…

Then next he side stepped a sword swipe from another Kyoshi, pushing his hand up against her gut with something either in it or on it underneath his cloak, whatever it was it made her cough up blood before sinking to her knee's, and he was still moving towards the Fire Nation soldiers behind them.

Brago narrowed his eyes as he made his own attack at the man, trying to decipher while he fought;

What was this man….how was he doing this? Was it some form of hidden blade? Where was his fire bending…? Was his ability to wield fire retarded somehow? Regardless…why was he toying with them? Proving to them that he didn't' need his full scale bending to defeat them?

Right before he could bring what he thought would be a killing move into an opening he saw, the Hooded man literally picked up one of the Fire Benders he was fighting with one arm and swung him at Brago and another officer.

Brago stopped his sword inches before hitting the fire nation man in his grasp, he remembered now this man had just nearly lifted a lizard steed off the ground with his strength.

But again the use of using of a body as blindspot proved in his favor for as soon as the Fire Nation soldier was moved out of the way, was there a swift kick to Brago's solar plexus sending him off his knee's and tumbling down a rather steep incline.

Ty Lee was a little unsure of what to do herself, finding herself helping a fallen Kyoshi warrior to the sidelines, her neck bleeding from the interloper's attack, she felt her weak gloved hand grab onto hers for support and Ty Lee squeezed it back, putting some of her tunic against the Kyoshi warriors neck wound… "Aang.." she was saying without even realizing it, "Help.."

Just then she saw Brago get kicked off what looked like a cliff, "NO!" she yelled.

Suddenly she saw him looking right at her, and her skin out right crawled…..

She felt a rush of motion from the Kyoshi she had helped to safety and saw that it was from a crossbow she had had on her person, firing it at the Hooded assailant.

The arrow missed him by inches, and the closeness angered him they could tell. He dove for Ty Lee who immediately somersaulted out of the way onto the rock which the Kyoshi was leaning against, then saw that she was not the intended target at all…

The man's hand came out from under his cloak grabbing the Kyoshi by the face and shoving it into the bolder she was lying against making a hollow sound.

Ty Lee gasped, and after landing flew at this man growling….she found herself a quicker match than anyone else so far as he was evidently having trouble evading her punches with his own blocks until finally she felt a crippling grip as his lighting fast hand grabbed onto her wrist, and she suddenly felt like that portion of her arm was going numb, like he'd struck a nerve or been poisoned as the feeling traveled up her arm…

Mai threw her knives furiously at him, he ducked the first few, then held Ty Lee in the way, making Mai stop seconds before releasing the knives in her already outstretched fingers.

That hick up was just the amount of time he needed, for he swung Ty Lee with surprising force into a tree, making her slump to the ground…she remembered he'd recently just pushed an entire lizard steed out of the way.

The moment he left his grip, he flew at Mai who desperately tried to whip out a knife in time to counter him, but found herself losing her balance as she backed up over a fallen stump and fell over.

Azula now was just now pushing the great behemoth of a lizard off of her and wiping the blood on her head off with her hand regaining her senses with a sneer.

She could see Kyoshi's wounded two and fro, her own men wounded or dead, or burned…along with their lizard steeds…and Ty Lee slowly staggering to get up herself at the foot of a tree…

…And Mai across from her on the ground looking up in horror at their Hooded attacker with his hand raised and ready to jolt down at her.

Before she could let out a scream, Brago's own cry "NO!" erupted from the side as he burst onto the scene with a second wind, slicing at his outstretched arm, only for it to be pulled back in before he could cut it off.

Brago spun himself and his blade left and right with stabbing, slicing motions attempting to cut this pale killer into pieces, but each one was dodged…it would be a lot less unnerving if this man didn't meet Brago's gaze with those eyes the entire time…and those…death hands with whatever they could do or were holding beneath those robes were getting nearer to him by the minute…

"BRAGO!" He heard Mai yell from behind him, and instinctually he moved to the right, judging the yell to be a cry for him to move. A knife, one of Mai's last she hid in her hair pins zipped through the air at lightning speed towards where Brago's shoulder had been, and into the Hooded assailant's shoulder.

By keeping her out of view with his own body, Brago had given her a window to throw an accurate shot that hit home by being a blind spot, and it went deep, and out the other side of his arm…just as Brago sliced at the man's waist, making contact with flesh, not hitting kidney's like he'd meant but drawing blood.

But unfortunately, this victory did not come without its price, for as he wheeled back and crouched, Brago brought his sword up and over his head to bring it down for a beheading blow….not expecting a kick which seemingly came out of nowhere to cuff him on the chin as the Hooded man turned his body upside down and around like a circular wheel…contorting himself…

Brago went back, and while still balancing on one hand the Hooded assailant lashed out with another kick, feeling like a mules hove had hit him in the chest, this kick brought his body back around right side up.

Next came a move with his palm to Brago's rib cage, which seemingly knocked the wind out of him, and suddenly as he was hit again on his thigh, felt numb there…so was his attacks pressure pointed like Ty Lee's?

Either way the sword fell limp in his hand as he fell next to Mai.

The Hooded man caught Brago's sword in mid air and brought it up to strike a killing blow to its former owner.

"NO!" Mai said and threw herself over Brago take the impact.

**_-VOOSH!-_** Azula let a sapphire blue Fire ball loose, right at the back of his head! He was perfectly distracted and she could conjure up a hellfire now at her full strength…HER aim would not be so faulty as to miss the mark! And the mark it did hit, for his hood was now in flames, and she could hear him growl from the feeling! Finally she had an open window to throw a fire ball without hitting Brago or Mai.

But just like that, he rolled on the ground, again making his cape move as quick as evaporating smoke and with a hiss the fire was out as he rolled out of the tuck. The last bit of blue flame on the hem of his cloak blew a bit before his foot stomped down, smashing it out.

He then met her eyes, with his own mannequin like ones. She wasn't going to lie, it unsettled her, there was comprehension in _this _look, recognition, not from the past experience, but recognizing…perhaps because of her blue flames….SHE was the one that he was after. He may not have gotten to her yet, but he was most certainly there for her.

She met his gaze with one that said,_ "Try it…."'_

He put his hands up, as did she as if they were dueling and their circled each other for maybe a second or two…she could feel that her legs had not quite come to their senses but she wasn't letting that on.

Then he came at her, head low again, cloak fluttering behind him.

Azula stood her ground and conjured up two huge fire balls in her hands, she had already calculated all 5 places he'd have to step before getting close enough for a killing strike, she could incinerate him in any of those spots before he could set his foot down.

"Come on…" she said under her breath.

He was nearly there…going to the right for an attack as she predicted…she immediately jabbed her arm in that direction letting a now accumulating Fire ball fly from her fingers.

It engulfed that area in flame…but as she looked up at the fire rising high from the impact, she saw him soaring over with it, or rather over it in an incredible leap.

She took a step back and Fire kicked at him, he seemed to evade that one too, spinning in the air, then landing on the ground, darted off that one foot at her with speed she hadn't counted on.

She furiously and desperately rose her other arm up to strike at him with another equally large fire bending blow…

Suddenly Azula could feel herself being tripped, and could see the familiar pink of Ty Lee's tunic under her as she saw Ty in the final stages of sweep kicking Azula's legs from underneath her…

And just in time to see the Hooded man's hand jerk out where Azula's arm would have been….had she not tripped her, she may have lost that hand like the men who she'd seen with broken arms from being grabbed…

In the same motion, before Azula had even hit the ground however, she saw Ty Lee come up out of her sweep kick, coming face to face with the genuinely "shocked" Hooded Murderer, delivering several lightning fast punches, almost too fast for Azula to calculate….one punch to the gut, another to the bad arm that Mai had pierced, another to his good arm…he was disarmed completely….good going Ty Lee old girl!

Suddenly with an unexpected thrust of his neck, the man head butted Ty Lee sending her back before she could deliver the final jabs to his middle to make him limp and fall over.

"Ty!" Azula yelled in anger, scrambling to her feet out of the fall.

"Ty Lee!" Mai cried herself.

As the man staggered back attempting to lift his good arm, he suddenly groaned in pain through his teeth and looked over his shoulder, seeing the tip of Brago's blade piercing his back.

He hadn't noticed Brago army crawl up to them and drive his katana up in an attempt to impale him.

He hissed and pushed himself forward to come off of the blade and after crouching made a mad dash like jack rabbit into the woods.

"NO!" Azula screamed and threw a blast of blue flame at him, catching his coat on fire. Almost at the moment it caught fire, was it slipped off almost like snake skin as he disappeared into the bamboo stalks.

"Coward!" Azula yelled, and shot after him to give chase.

She burned down an entire stalk of bamboo cutting through the forest looking for him.

"Savage!…" she hissed, "Where are you!"

She looked on the ground for a blood trail but after following it a yard or more, saw that it stopped at a certain point with no foot prints going on.

She looked at one of the stalks near where the prints had stopped…and saw a trickle of blood dripping down it.

She looked up just as she saw some birds flying away out of the openings in the forests canopy.

"He's in the trees…" she hissed.

She brought both her hands together making a massive flame between them larger then her head, then threw both her arms out, sending the flames in all directions.

Trees left and right of her caught fire, she darted her eyes every which way, waiting for her wounded hunter, or now prey to reveal himself, but all she saw were the silhouettes of birds and fowls scattering across the skies as their home began to burn.

"Azula!" she heard Ty Lee say from behind her.

She knew she should make sure that THING was dead, she should hunt him out…

"Princess Azula?" came a voice from a Fire Nation soldier.

Re-inforcements now? Brilliant timing…still that meant she could order someone to go after him for her while her and her friends could lick their wounds. The move she just did to start the forest fire reminded her how much her arm hurt.

She growled once again at the now burning woods, then made her way back to the clearing where they had just had their battle for their lives.

As she emerged, she saw a group of Fire Nation troops; some on foot, some on Ostrich Horse. They weren't from her regiment of fort, but at this point in time she didn't care.

"We saw the amount of smoke coming from this area while we were passing and figured we'd check it out." One of the officers said bowing to her.

She slapped the man, "Well lot of good you did with your genius timing! You and your men comb through that forest, look for the monster that did this!"

"My lady!" Brago protested, "I agree we should kill whoever that was, but half our men are dying or dead, can we not get them back to the infirmary?"

Azula growled towards him, "They were wounded protecting you me lady…" Brago finished.

She put a hand on her head hating the headache she was feeling from the whole scenario.

A fire nation soldier went up to her to hold her up by her arm for fear of her falling or fainting or something .

She jerked her hand away, "Don't touch me!" she spat.

"Fine….You three and you!" she said pointing to four Calvary fire benders. "Pick up his trail with your best Mongoose lizards, he's a ghostly pale man, tall and badly bleeding…don't return until you've brought me his smoldering head!"

Her men bowed and set off into the woods after this wounded…mysterious foe.

"The rest of you stay and help with the wounded…leave the dead."

Ty Lee looked at Brago to ask him a question then bit her tongue mid sentence. He was just standing there, hand on his sword hilt, sword blade stuck in the ground.

Before him were the bodies of most of his men, as well as footmen from Azula's regiment…

He sheathed his blade again finally and turned to face Ty Lee and Mai.

"Are you alright…?" he asked them. Ty Lee nodded, Mai shrugged "It's whatever…" she said passively wiping some sweat off her head.

Brago shook his head "You little fool…you would have died throwing yourself in front of him like that, I have armor, you don't-!"

Mai sighed, "Well, I didn't. You want to keep harping about this? I need something steadying to drink…"

Brago shook his head, "Forgive me, I….you fought valiantly, both of you…and any reason a permanent blow was dealt him was due to you ladies…" he said turning to both Ty Lee and Mai. "It's just my duty's to see to your safety…I'm not used to the other way around."

Ty Lee cheerfully beamed as much as she could at this, while Mai half smiled and attempted to hide it…

Then Brago's gaze full upon the amount of bodies lain strewn about the clearing…his face, and their faces changed from their smiles.

"What…who was that?" Ty Lee asked.

Brago knelt by one of his fallen cohorts with a broken arm from being grabbed.

"Someone that wished to cause suffering, not death alone…." He said.

"How was he doing that?..." Mai asked feeling shaken again at the memories.

Azula stepped forward "His bending seemed as if it was retarded somehow, or inadequate…he only burned people with physical contact, he may have been channeling all his chi into burning their skin under his own…"

Brago stood, "That's what I surmised…and how all of our men missed him?"

Azula thought, some ancient masters were able to have such good reflex's they could bend the fire away as it came at them before it ever completely left the bender that threw it…that's a possibility…if you rule out witch craft of some kind."

Brago shook his head, "If he were that proficient he wouldn't have only bent at close contact…I'd hate to imagine if that were him holding back."

"Sir!" came a voice from one of the newly arrived Fire Nation soldiers, "What are we to do with them? Kill them?"

He turned to see the soldiers hoisting up the wounded Kyoshi warriors, some up by their hair, their hands ready to bend a fire gust at them.

"No…" Brago said frowning, "They threw their lot in to help us against that thing…"

"But they're the filthy paint faces that destroyed our supply of-…" The gruff Soldier was about to protest.

"No…." Azula said, "Don't kill them…" everyone's attention turned to her.

"They'll make splendid prisoners of war…especially if they know anything about our pale hooded friend…or had something to do with him…" she said musingly.

Ty Lee frowned at that. Azula had just gone from an experience like this, that had nearly killed the lot of them, to planning and scheming again…even though these warriors had stuck their necks out for them…

"Painted faces…" Azula said to herself, "They may have another use for us after all…" Azula said slowly smirking.

"Ty…" she said looking at Ty Lee, "We're going to enter Ba Sing Se after all…"

Daiken slowly strung his bow across his Cricket-Lute, playing a slow haunting melody.

* * *

The Gang's house at the upper disrict

Just as he had played to great the morning, it seemed this one was bidding the day fair well as the sun slowly began to set.

_(Link to the composition he was playing on my profile page)_

He remembered the sound of the wind, golden with sand that it picked up, his small hand in the hand of his father as he took him to the top of a rock formation…learning how to catch a vulture-bee. He also remembered the red that made the sands look orange as red flames burnt down the campsite bellow them…

Toph had just got back from shopping again with Katara and Aang, for food that is, she had blatantly expressed her opposition to that thing which was known as "Girl time" in shopping. Now Katara and Aang were spending time together taking the long way home by the fountain, and Toph was nearly to the front door.

She stopped short of going passed the side gate, hearing Daiken's melody…the way it reverberated off the cobblestones of their courtyard and the walls of their home…even off of the fountain pool they had in their backyard…was purely gorgeous.

She found herself coming in through the side gate as silently as she could to listen closer.

Daiken on the other hand kept playing regardless of whether he heard her or not, eaving and bobbing his elbow accordingly with the notes.

Finally he stopped.

"Very nice…" Toph said.

Daiken turned round to look at her, "Thank you…" he said, it was odd she could tell he was smiling by how he said it.

"Is that a song from home?" Toph asked.

"Yes…" he replied, "I keep trying to remember how old melody's go…as I remember them, I remember how I felt back then more vividly…if you can understand that…"

Toph nodded, "I do, I could feel how much you felt as you played…"

"And how would you say I felt?" Daiken asked standing up.

Toph thought honestly, "It seemed…reflecting, some parts almost regretful or sad…but not completely sad."

Daiken glanced at the changing sky, "Spot on…everyone has regrets though."

"Was it something you did?" Toph asked, "Or do you regret a happening…?"

Daiken put his bow in the slot of his Cricket Lute and slung it over his shoulder, "Different every time…"

Toph jerked her head to make some hair that was in her mouth move to the side, "I can tell…"

Daiken folded his arms, "Can you now?"

Toph lit a smile slip, "Try to be as mysterious as you like, but you play different kinds each time, earlier your song sounded kind of happy."

Daiken smiled a bit, "It was happy yes…"

"Do you enjoy being full of secrets?" Toph asked.

"Do you enjoy thinking I am?" Daiken asked.

Toph put a hand on her hip and smirked,

"So…What or who were you thinking of when you played that happy version?" she asked avoiding the question playfully.

Daiken just smirked back knowing Toph couldn't see it and walked passed her, "I wouldn't be full of secrets if I told you everything…" he replied.

* * *

_Ba Sing Se: Lower Ring_

The sky turned mildly purple as the Sun completely hid the mountains, not letting the dark of night come just yet.

SmellerBee was pumping her fist as she came from a booth window of a building. "Yes!" she said, "We finally got jobs as night watchmen for the lower district!"

Longshot smiled at her from across the street where he was waiting. "Maybe the news'll get O'l Jet out of his funk." She continued.

Longshot glanced in the direction that they had come in.

SmellerBee nodded, "Your probably right, he's probably not as sick by now, he didn't feel THAT feverish."

The sky was teasing at being even more like night then before as they finally came home to their apartment they had rented. It wasn't very large and was technically built for one person, but with their adaptability they had strung up 3 hammocks across the ceiling…until this afternoon however when Jet had mentioned feeling ill and they laid out his hammock on the floor for him to use.

As they turned the knob of their room they saw Jet's hammock blanket fluttering half out of the open window.

"Jet!" Smellerbee exclaimed going to the window.

"What happened to…" she started to say, but turned around to see Longshot looking behind some bags of theirs at a recently used heating and a face towel...

"He faked his fever…" Smellerbee said.

Her and Longshots eyes grew as she finished; "The scar faced kid at the tea shop!"

* * *

Zuko swept the floor of the Tea shop carefully, making sure it wasn't in such broad strokes that the dust would get any higher than the knee. Iroh had shown him how to do this so that the customers wouldn't complain about dust floating near their tables. It was ridiculous, if they were going to be turned off by the sight of dust, wouldn't the sight of someone sweeping indicate the same?

_"But nephew, people enjoy the sight of a problem being fixed more than the problem itself."_ His uncle would reply.

He shook his head and continued with his work, he was getting to good at guessing which line Uncle would use on him in these situations.

One of the Ba Sing Se Night watchmen chortled as he sipped some more of the honey lemon tea Iroh had prepared; "This is by far the BEST tea in the city."

His guard mates nodded in unison.

"The extra ingredient is love…" Iroh said stoicly. Zuko rolled his eyes as he swept.

"I think someone's in for a raise…." Their shop manager mused loud enough for Iroh and Zuko to hear.

Zuko bowed his head with his uncle and continued to escort the pile he'd swept up towards the door.

As he finally stuck his head outside to sweep the final bits out into the street, he heard a "BOO!" To his right.

Zuko was startled, but didn't jump from it till he realized it was Jin who was waiting by the door for him to come out, only a foot or so from him.

"GAH!" he exclaimed. She giggled, "Hi…"

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Is what Zuko more or less wanted to blurt.

But…by some miracle found a way to reply, "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you silly…" she said smiling cutely.

"Why are you doing that?..." Zuko asked sweeping the last bits of dust off the doorstep.

"So I could surprise you…" she continued in her teasing manner. The moment the dust was out the shop and in the street he all too hurriedly zipped back into the shop as if he was attached to a string that yanked him back in.

He could hear behind him her light footsteps behind him, wonderful…

"Well you surprised me." Zuko said flatly as he put his broom away in the corner. He went to the tray he'd set down with the Tea Kettle and empty china cups on it. "I'm sort of busy so…unless you want tea or something-"

_NUTS! WHY DID HE SAY THAT?_

"Oh but I do!" Jin said grinning.

If he wasn't holding a tray Zuko could've hit himself for giving her an opening like that…

"What kind of Tea?" he asked grumbling.

She giggled. Great, she thought his grumble was funny somehow…was she an anti shunning machine?

"Actually…" she said honestly. "I wanted to thank you for talking to me the other day."

Zuko nodded, "Uh, kay, so what tea do you want?"

"And…" she went on, "Well I hadn't been having a very good day…but you cheered me up."

Zuko let what he was thinking slip, "The hell did I manage to do that?" he asked.

She cracked a small smile, "Listening to me…I know I can be a chatter box sometimes. My dad hates that…"

Zuko said nothing waiting for what she was saying to get to a point.

"Anyway…for not completely blowing me off. I'm sorry for being so intrusive before…"

Zuko sighed, "It's whatever…"

There was a bit of an awkward silence before Zuko finally broke it asking, "So what kind of tea do you want?"

Jin smiled a bit more, "Your Green Berry Sun rise if you have it." She asked politely.

Zuko looked at the differently labeled tea bags on his tray and found the one she requested.

"Here you go…" he said pouring her a cup of it.

"Thank you." She said smiling even more.

"So you excited for the King's birthday celebration?" she asked.

Zuko kept his eyes from rolling with all his fading strength, "Not particularly…" he replied honestly.

"I think it's kind of cute." She replied, "And I mean, it is for the Earth King's pet.."

Zuko sighed, "It's just an animal…who cares? They grow old and die all the time. He's not the one running the Country…"

He looked around realizing he may have said that a bit too loud…

Jin shrugged fingering her china cup, "True, but sometimes all you can do is praise what's living for as long as you can cause, I mean it's worth it…we'd all prefer to have something we love living then not, and if they're with us now, we shouldn't take that for granted, right?"

Okay…that was sounding to much like something his Uncle Iroh would say, what's more it was annoyingly making sense like something Iroh would say.

"Yeah maybe…hey I've got other customers..so…"

Jin sighed, "Actually…" she said. "I was wondering if…if you had the day off cause of tomorrow, maybe you could go see the celebratory fireworks with me?"

Zuko blinked, she was actually asking him out…? Her not leaving, yeah, her still talking, yeah, her asking to get a job with him SO she could keep talking, even that he'd expect, but he wasn't ready for that move…

Seeing he was saying nothing in reply she quickly added, "It's not a date or anything! I mean, well, its just your new here in Ba Sing Se, and I know if you saw the celebration parade and lights and…well everything you'll be glad you came, and I thought maybe if someone from here hadn't given you justice of a welcome that-"

Zuko sighed. "Look I…"

Iroh smiled putting a hand on his shoulder, "Of course he's free, I've taken his shift for him and he needs to enjoy the city."

"Uncle…." Zuko said through his teeth.

"It's alright." Jin said, "I mean, I want you to go but you'll probably have just as much fun here, there are decorations in every tea shop and restaurant and those not able to see the fire work's come there and have toasts and things…"

SO either way…he wasn't going to have any peace, at least with her he'd have the excuse to not have to talk to anyone else….he was between the devil and the deep blue see here…

"I…" he started, "Agh…I'm actually…"

Before could satisfy his uncle or Jin with an answer, the door to the shop slammed open.

Standing in the archway, was the shaggy headed, angry faced Jet, his eyes immediately made contact with Zuko's, like a mad dog.

"I'm tired of waiting…" he glared, and brandished his hook swords, pointing one of them directly at Zuko and Iroh.

"These two are Fire Benders!" he said loud enough for even people outside to hear.

Iroh played off the being stunned reaction perfectly, so much so Zuko might have thought he wasn't fire bender. Zuko made a fist behind his back, and felt Jin ducking behind him at the sight of the Hook Swords.

"I know their fire benders!" he roared at the stunned patrons, "I saw him heating his tea!"

"Uh…Tea shop?" Someone said amongst the customers in a No duh manner.

"Those are some hefty accusations to be hurling around young man…" one of the security men said frowning and moving his leg up and over his bench in case he had to stand.

"He didn't have anything to heat it with! Believe me I made sure of that…." Jet said glaring at Iroh.

"You're crazy!" Jin said suddenly, "These men couldn't be-"

Jet glared at her making her shrink even more behind Zuko, "Maybe you're in on it, I've been watching you, your always talking to them, in the back…or at the window…are you relaying them messages."

Zuko stood in front of Jin now, "Your barking up the wrong tree…"he said.

The security team was now at their feet, "Just put the swords down boy, nice and easy…" the captain said.

But Jet acted as if he literally didn't hear or see them, and was now making strides, his long blade directed at Iroh. From the way he was holding it, anyone who knew weapons could tell he was in the perfect position to throw his blade if he had to, and from where the guards were on the other side of him, it was unlikely they'd reach him in time.

"You'll have to defend yourself old man…then everyone will see for themselves…" Jet said.

Suddenly with a sprint of motion Zuko intentionally dropped the platter of tea to distract Jets eyes, and in the same movement spun around next to one of the security officers, grabbing his swords, then leap in the path of his Uncle and Jin again.

"You want a show…I'LL give you a show!..." Zuko said narrowing his eyes as he brandished both blades he'd swiped.

No one moved now, the tea shop was in utter silence.

Zuko slowly put a foot down behind one of the tables as if he was going to step behind it.

But the moment he did, he jerked his foot sideways under the tables leg to yank it into the middle of the floor in front of him, then turned side-kicking the table right at Jet with incredible force.

Jet ran at the oncoming table, and leapt in the air, grappling onto the table as it slide under him and used it to yank himself forward into a flip at Zuko , using his blades like buzz saw tips.

Zuko deflected these, moving his body in a curving motion to block each strike for him, then jumped in the air himself to avoid a swipe to his legs with the hook of one of the swords.

He landed gracefully on one of the more feeble tables, and Jet wasting no time, sliced at where his most forward foot was, but not before Zuko had yanked the foot out of the way into a perfect crane stance, swords held high.

The reprocution was that Jet had sliced the table in two, but Zuko balanced perfectly on the now wobbling half he stood on. The whole ordeal made Jin scream for a second when it looked like he had hit his foot.

Jet made another lash for Zuko's leg, hoping he could clip him in mid air as he jumped off, but Zuko instead jumped back and came up out of his crouch with both his swords out making Jet have to jerk himself out of the way.

In doing so Jet tripped over a patrons leg, making him have to recover himself, but that one fumble had cost him for Zuko was still running at him and had now leapt in the air, landing a side kick into Jet's gut, sending him out a nearly repaired boarded window.

He tumbled outside and rolled out of it to his feet, he'd been sent through a wall by a fire ball, this was nothing…at the same time it wasn't nothing for the scar faced boy was already outside with him after leaping out himself and swinging his swords in the dusts to jerk dirt at his fast.

Jet moved quickly to the side raising his hook swords again. He was out in the open, no need to worry about clipping a citizen…he could use his big moves…

He swung violently at Zuko now, not holding back, and Zuko countered with a little more difficulty but there was no distress in his face…only anger…good, he could use that to get his blood boiling.

"Betcha your tired of using this swords, I can tell they aren't your style…how about you bend some fire at me…" he smirked as their swords inter locked, he attempted muscling Zuko down to one knee, it was known fact Jet could outlift most average adults.

Zuko gritted his teeth and taking a step forward muscled Jet back instead. "What I'm tired of is you!" Zuko roared.

Jet took a precautionary step back after being shoved, expecting a flame, but he only saw a spark as their swords clanked apart.

"Please Young Man!" came Iroh's pleading voice, "Stop this, you don't know what you're doing, your confused!"

But the two young men proceeded in a furious battle, taking them to the well at the corner of their shop.

Jet hadn't expect Zuko to match his stamina or strength so handedly so now he was going all out with his blades' range.

He looped his swords together by interlocking the hook portions and swung them out by the handle he still now held, out like a long, sharp, sling.

"Lee!" Jin found herself squeaking in terror, as Zuko found himself stepping back to evade the sharp edged hilt of Jets sword. He was inadvertently slicing barrels and poles of archways of doors as he swung his elongated weapon out, and had to jump back several times due to low swings.

"Long range attacks not helping? Afraid I'll put another scar on your face? Why not cover the distance with some fire blasts…!" Jet sneered.

But his scar faced opponent, Lee, if that was his name even…just kept his face fixed…channeling his rage rather than letting it out…he had to keep trying…he could tell that comment about the scar on his face had hit some kind of nerve.

Suddenly Zuko found the opening he needed, and drove one of his swords down the moment Jet swung for his feet again, pinning the tip of his blade in the hilt of his hook sword, fastening it to the ground.

"You're the one who needs help!" Zuko snarled.

"No!" Jet thought, he'd been pacing himself, playing him…these spies were GOOD at keeping their cover…and now he was open.

He quickly unlinked the sword in his hand with the one pinned to the ground, just in time to step back to avoid a swipe headed straight for his head.

He had to bend backwards, his back nearly touching the ground to evade it. As the cold steel sung over his face, it chopped the reed he kept in his mouth in half, right above his nose.

The moment the sword was clear, Jet leapt back out of his awkward position into a flip then made a large hop back onto the edge of the near bye town well.

He took a deep breath, what was it going to take to crack this guy…? He glanced around at the now growing number of townsfolk all staring at them…no….staring at him.

"What?" He said looking from one side to the other, "It's him! Don't you see it? He's the menace…he's trying to silence me….well I'm not going to let that happen!..."

He leapt down from the well to charge once again at Zuko but there was a loud clap like two gannet slabs knocking against the other and everyone paused.

Everyone's attention was turned to two men clad in blackish dark green robes with the crest of the Earth Kingdom embroidered on their cloaks….the _Dai Li._

"What's all the racket here…" one of them said from beneath their wide brimmed hats that concealed all but their chins.

Jet jabbed a finger at Zuko and Iroh, "Arrest them!" He bellowed, they're fire benders!" He was so horse from the battle he hadn't quite intended to sound that crazed when he exclaimed it.

Iroh put his hands up pleadingly, "Please, this trouble young man is confused, we are not but simple refugees…" there was a ring of honesty in his voice that was unmistakable…

Zuko knew, for his uncle hadn't "_Lied_" in the least.

"This man rampaged through my shop, and disrupted my customers!" the Tea shop Manager accused pointing to Jet.

"He's the man you want!" Someone else said from the crowd.

"He nearly killed killed someone!" another said.

"…Boy was just trying to defend his uncle and his girlfriend…" someone else said.

Zuko was about to bark, "What she's not my girlfriend!" But was cut off by one of the security officers stepping forward and saying;

"It's true sirs, we saw the whole thing, the young man bravely stepped up to defend himself…this lunatic nearly harmed one of the best Tea men in Ba Sing Se."

Zuko gave an exasperated look at the guard when he finished with that last line. His uncle on the other hand beamed, "Your too kind…" Iroh said.

Jet glared franticly from one citizen to the other, "You can't be the stupid….all of you! Your blind! You have to see! They're Fire-"

He was interrupted by one of the Dai Li who either glided or just appeared next to him, "That's enough son, come with us…lets cool down…"

Jet lashed out with his elbow…honestly forgetting his sword was still in that hand.

The blade was caught however before it could get anywhere near the Dai Li's person…and he caught it by the blade…with his hand…

Now the reason as to how he had clapped so loud was revealed as Jet saw that the Dai Li agent had a glove comprised completely of rock.

With another hand with like glove, he grabbed Jet's other arm in an iron grip, and jerked both his arms behind his back and pressed a pinching hold on both hands behind his back making Jet growl.

Then his arms stayed where they were, and the Dai Li agent stepped back, letting go of his hands, yet the hold stayed on his arm…the gloves made of rock had been molded, or bent into restraints, holding his hands uncomfortably behind his back.

"No!" Jet said… "NO! You can't take me! I'm just trying to save everyone!" Jet bellowed as he was carried away.

"Smeller! Long shot! I'm telling the truth!" He cried.

His last plead was cut off as he was thrown into the back of a police wagon, and the Dai Li leapt or floated it looked like onto the roof and driver's seat of the police wagon, and the Ox-dog that towed it trotted on carrying Jet away.

Meanwhile in the crowd, Longshot and Smellerbee who had gotten there in time to see the last bits of his crazed fight, hung their heads as their leader got smaller and smaller down the street…what could they do? He was certifiable, if they came forward they'd be convicted of being criminals themselves…and what's more they didn't even know where Jet was being taken.

Jin immediately hugged Zuko, "Are you alright?" She asked, Zuko looked down at her, wanting to shove her off but was too tired to do so now, and used her conveniently to lean on for a breath.

"Yes Lee, we all had quite a scare…" the Store Manager said.

One of the guards from the tea house began yelling, "Okay everyone back to your homes, nothing to see here, give the kid and his uncle some space…let's get back to quiet hours."

Almost helping to usher everyone back inside, it started to rain, drop by drop.

A shadow of something passed over heard, Zuko looked up to see what it was, but only saw a birds feather fluttering down as more rain began to descend…must've been a big bird to make such a shadow though…

* * *

Appa passed over a little Tea shop with people strewn all around, none of them were Aang, he could tell from even that high up…he didn't think he could stay in the air any longer….no that was a certainty…he couldn't…and the rain wasn't going to help at ALL.

Maybe he could find hospitality here, like he had with the painted females who defended him from the fire devils…or the Monk he'd met who'd given him banana porridge and a message for Aang. Actually he hoped more than anything to find Aang rather than a warm bed of…

Bed of hay! He saw one! Right behind a warehouse with a light still lit over the door.

A man stepped out just as Appa's strength gave out and he tumbled into the hay breathing hard.

The man walked up to him, "What in the name of…?" he started as he raised his lantern higher, blinking against the rain.

"Well I'll be…" he said suddenly, "The Avatar's creature…" the Pet shop owner said.

Although Appa couldn't understand EVERYTHING said by the humans, he did know the words, Aang, and Avatar…and somehow the way that he said it, it indicated to Appa that his man put the connection together that he beloned to "the Avatar."

He looked up adamantly as the man stood and handed him a bushel of hay from the pile he'd nearly fell in successfully.

He chomped on it thankfully, inhaling the rest into his mouth easily cause of the dampness.

"Let's get you inside…" he said, and ran over to the huge doors of his warehouse.

He could smell the scent of other creatures sleeping or not sleeping inside due to the storm that was on its way.

"We'll let your friend know you've arrived first thing tomorrow…" The man said kindly, Appa didn't know what he was saying but he could tell it was helpful….he relaxed.

Suddenly as his weak eyes began to shut, he thought he could hear the sound of stones moving behind him...


	45. Chapter 45

HELLO FAITHFUL READERS

I want to expressly apologize to you for two things:

One that this is not the next chapter of my series. And 2, that I've made you all wait so unfairly long.

I'm currently writing the next chapters now while writing this apology to all of you.

My story has had to go through a few revisions for a few reasons, one that characters and plot twists were looking too much like characters in Legend of Korra and I did not want it to look like I was copying their plot idea.

I've changed the ending of my story to what I was going to have it be originally, but will be still trying to gear this towards going through their lives up to book 3 and a bit of beyond. The time I have had to come back and look at my chapters I've spent re-reading this fanfic and going back and doing my best to fix grammatical errors and formatting tweeks along the way as best I could.

Now that I have a clear goal of where this is going, and my life isn't as mind numbingly hectic between work searching/college/ and being sick that came out of nowhere and lasted longer than it should have…I can finally focus and patiently wait through the amounts of writers block I always have to wait out to start putting stuff down on paper, metaphorically.

I hope you all will enjoy the next chapters I'll be uploading, and that you'll stay with this story as I try to bring us to the Finale of THIS portion of the story that will involve in all certainty whether Ty Lee or Aang lives or dies…or not.

Dedicatedly and apologetically yours

The Everman


	46. Chapter 46

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Birthday for a Bear_

5, 4, 3, 2,….1…!

* * *

Fireworks exploded about the sky, the crowds of thronging people in the streets cheered and lit their own fire crackers and spun their crackling toys on sticks. Green, and golden confetti fell from nearly every window out into the streets of the Ba Sing Se districts , as numerous as snowflakes, and it seemed to Zuko like each floating piece of confetti found its way to his head where it would nestle in his hair which he now regretted along to grow more.

He irritatedly brushed the party paper out of his hair grumbling,

*giggle* came the voice of Jin, his "unofficial" girlfriend and or "escort" for the night through a series of events he did not see coming. He wasn't really even over Mai yet, and honestly girls were the last things on his mind. Figures a bubbly perky one would happen to latch onto him like Koala-cat. Just thank god she wasn't like Ty Lee…good grief. Thinking back, the onetime Ty Lee had taken an interest in Zuko because he was "cute.." he feared for his life; she would NOT leave him be, and the spidery devil could fit through or get in ANYWHERE.

"Come on let's try to get a better look by the fountain!" she said tugging at Zuko's sleeve.

Zuko went along, not struggling, but going at an intentionally unimpressed mosey…what was worse though, is it did not seem to faze her as she continued;

"The lights are so beautiful dancing around the reflection of the water and stars, and it goes on for- …there it is!"

Zuko rolled his eyes in the direction of what she was talking about and saw a very tall, very impressive looking fountain sticking up from behind the masses of heads in front of them. He hated it.

"Come on! Let's get a boat before they're all gone!" she said happily.

A romantic boat ride through the city's water systems? He'd bet anything his Uncle knew something like this would happen, and during the birthday of a dumb animal!...belonging to a dumber ruler…in what he was now feeling to be the dumbest city he'd ever set foot in!

"Lee…."

He turned and looked down at her, "Thanks for coming out with me…I really appreciate it.." she said genuinely.

He sighed out a nod but noticed about her that whatever this was, it wasn't just the flirtatious chidings.

"I didn't want to be alone tonight, even though I'm guessing you did…" she went on.

Zuko blinked.

"So…thank you for coming anyway…" she finished.

"It's alright I guess…" he managed to say, making a point not to let her see the changed expression on his face.

Suddenly they heard a voice say "Oh it's you two!"

They both turned to see one of the soldiers who was in Iroh and his Tea shop, smiling at them. "A romantic date with your hero aye?" The guard said.

Jin blushed and Zuko groaned.

* * *

_The Gang's house_

Aang and Sokka attempted to finish up their busboy and foot man costumes. Sokka pulled at Aang's hat as he struggled.

"It's on backwards!" Sokka argued.

"It is NOT." Aang insisted, you've got it on sideways.

Daiken on the other hand said nothing sitting on one of the floor pillows, Momo landed on his shoulder and chortled, he glanced at the Lemur-bat with the half glare he usually had, and Mom simply stared wide eyed back before licking his paw.

Daiken smiled some and scratched him behind the ears, it nuzzled his hand when he did and he just took in how soft Momo felt for a while. His skin had been so accustomed to the roughness of the sand, of the wind and cold exchanged for heat…yet here he was in a city of softness, pillows…creatures that nuzzled you for comfort; genuine pure pople…ones he did not have to worry about putting his trust in. Funny, he was the odd man out here, it was him who was holding the secrets from them.

"We're ready!" came a voice from the girls changing room.

All three boys heads turned as the changing room door slide open to the right, revealing Katara and Toph both in white silk dresses, embroidered with greens and gold's, set with small pink blossoms where the green branch like designs ended at the shoulder.

They both closed their fans that were hiding their faces from the eyes down, and revealed their professionally made up visages. The makeup work on them quite frankly made them both look at least a year older.

They both giggled at each other after making such closing of their fans striking a poses.

Aang blinked finally for the first time and pulled at his collar, "Wow you…I mean you guys look…awesome!" he said honestly. Katara grinned biting her lip, Sokka flicked his forehead.

Daiken on the other hand took his coachman's cap off and held it to his chest standing up.

"So we look convincing enough?" Toph asked the boys before.

"You've fully convinced me..." Daiken said.

"Well of course I have, hurry and help me to the door!" she huffed putting her hand out teasingly.

Daiken took it softly into his. "Right this way Madam Fong…" he said using her decoy name.

It was the first time she'd felt his hands, they were like statues, sturdy and strong, but with a heat emanating from them that made them feel gentile more than course for some reason…

Aang looked to Katara and shifted his feet, he was about to open up his mouth to say something likened to what Daiken had but was interrupted by Sokka taking Katara's arm and donning his "workman's voice."

"I Dare say madam let me escort you to your carriage…" Sokka said. Katara grumbled rolling her eyes at her brother but went along with him. She looked over her shoulder at Aang and gave one of her heart melting grins. Aang had to take a deep breath as she went around the corner.

Everything seemed to be hitting him like a ton of bricks, Katara had never been like this before…maybe there was something magical to this city….maybe this was a sign his relentless life had….but no. Then again, could it? Could this have been what Bushu meant about letting one channel go to give into the other...? This one was reciprocating back now, so what was he too do…? What happened on the mountain, at the gypsy camp….on that zeppelin, it wasn't a lie. That wasn't a wrong channel for that sort of energy but…neither was this one…was it? And as much as he hated to admit it, Ty Lee had attacked his friends apparently whilst inside the drill, as well as the outer guard for the wall. He knew how impressionable she was, maybe that over domineering Fire Nation princess had gotten to her….

Suddenly the very thought of that made him bake inside; "No…" he thought to himself. "No! She was better than that, he wasn't going to be the first or the next to not believe in her after what she risked to get him out….

"Aang! Come on!" came Katara's voice from outside. Aang took a deep breath and walked humbly around the corner to the door like a servant with his head low.

* * *

Outside the wall, quite a few miles away in a distant wood, a village fisherman was draining his nets by the river East of pass to Ba Sing Se's main road. Suddenly his old but sharp eyes caught something disturbing the reflection of the bright moon in the water, just floating down but certainly a creature.

"Whoaaaa mable…" he said standing to his bare feet on the dock, and put his net out, ready for whatever it was to put up a fight. But oddly enough after being snagged in his net, it simply limply swayed there, and the fisherman could see as he brought it closer that it was in the shape of a human body.

He gasped and quickly hoisted it out of the water and too the dock.

"Great…spirits…" he said pulling the net from his newly drudged up catch. He put his ear to the man's heart, he was still alive.

"Someone help!" He called along the docks to neighboring fisherman.

The man coughed up some water and looked as if he was attempting to sit up but could not.

He fisherman helped him and while feeling his arm could tell that something in it was not in its right place.

"It's been dislocated…" he said to himself and carefully let him sit up against himself, suddenly the man jolted awake and then groaned from the newly realized pain. "Easy mate…we gotcha…" the fisherman said as more of his comrades came around.

As a neighbor brought one of his lanterns to the scene he could see that this man's skin was terribly bleached, either he'd been in the water a very long time, or he had avoided the sun most of his life. Along his bare upper body were several strange tattoo's. Finally his eyes jolted open and when they did they gave everyone a start, just from how piercing they were, and dilated.

"Wh-where am I…?" came a choked but calming voice; he was realizing he had no reason to fear danger and was relaxing now.

"Fishing village in district 18…" the Fisherman, "Your arms been dislocated, probably why you couldn't swim. How'd this come about you anyway…?"

"I…" The man started, "I'm not sure I remember…"

"Whats your name then?" a villager asked.

"My name?...J-Jashiek…Jashiek is my name…" (Jash- Sheek)

"Jashiek…can you remember anything before you ended up in the water?"

Jashiek rested his head back, shutting his eyes….

"…I…I fell while trying to evade some bandits near a cliff…" he said meekly.

The fisherman nodded "Roughians…well don't you worry mister, we'll have you inside with a nice warm brewed meal of our ray-clam chowder."

"Thank you…very much…" he said smiling as much as he could.

"Look at that wound!" a fisherman's wife said helping him onto a make shift cot. "Those bandits must have given you quite the scare from how they treated you from these battle wounds. What happened to them?"

Jashiek looked down at his wounded side.

Oh yes he remembered….he remembered how his attempts to kill the Fire Nation princess nearly worked….he remembered he was run through the side by the blade of her lieutenant he should have boiled the face off of.

He remembered the pink wearing girl who pressure pointed an entire side of his body….he remembered having to flee for his life because he couldn't bend anymore. He remembered purposefully putting his own blood in the trees to make his pursuers believe that he had climbed up them, and then dug into the ground like a mole….and he remembered the Fire Nation princesses boots an inch from where he had hidden as she set the bamboo forest a blaze.

He remembered waiting until they had all left, and he had still not gotten feeling left in the entire side of his body…and he remembered trying to outrun the forest fire that had been set, blue and unforgiving.

He remembered having to jump, half numb off a cliff into an unfriendly river to escape the ravaging fire….and he remembered how that was how he had dislocated his arm and gone unconscious from it all…all to drift here.

"They got away…" he said sighing, "I mean…I got away, I don't know where they are. But I'll find them…they have something precious of mine." Jashiek said as he was carried into a hut.

"You really think that's a good idea mister…" the Fisherman said, "They roughed you up something fierce…."

Jashiek smirked against the pain he felt saying "Perhaps you right…is there anyone who can relocate my shoulder…?"

"I can!" said a man in a fish cleaners apron.

"Thank you…" Jashiek said re-closing his eyes.

* * *

_Outside the Palace_

"You don't understand!" Katara said, "Our parents will be worried over us if we are not seen inside with them."

The guard at the door huffed, "Sorry girls, not on the list, not my problem, on your way."

Toph kept her head up and walked in stride closer to the guard at the door, she truly did know how to carry herself like a noble woman of a court.

"Listen, do I have to spell it out for you…?" she said in a voice that sounded a lot more annunciated and refined then her usual manner. "The Pang's, the Yung Sun Hong's are inside waiting for us, do you want me to name off some other people who will be VERY upset with your over seers if we're kept out here in this freezing cold?"

Katara had to give Toph her chops, she knew how to act haughty and spoiled, this was nowhere near as cold as some of the nights the gang had to endure on the road. Where this anyone else Toph would have thrown her head back and laughed at what a "sissy" the person was for considering this to be anywhere near cold.

"Step out of line please…" the guard said, not caring. They looked behind them at the guests in line with their invitations, frowning at them. Slowly and attempting to hide their embarrassment and frustration behind their fans, the girls moved to the side.

This wasn't good, they had to get inside to meet with Aang and the rest, what could they do.

Suddenly Katara saw a couple in line looking at them and giving them sympathetic eyes right before they went inside.

This gave her an idea. She surveyed the crowd for someone she thought could be their ally in this situation and decided on a gentlemen in royal looking, yet official black and green robes. He had a balded head, relatively normal sized in height, with a typical long mustache that went down from his lips off face, which seemed gentlemanly enough.

She took Toph's hand urging her to follow, mustering up as much "Victimized pleading" she could for her next act.

"Excuse me sir…I'm sorry sir but my cousin misplaced our invitations…she's blind…" she whispered the last part insensitively loud to give the impression of being ditsy.

"Our families are inside and I'm sure they're very worried."

The man looked down at them very seriously, for a second as if he was studying them but it must have been because he was adjusting his eyes to the dark for he then gave a warm smile and bowed his head. "I would be honored…come with me please."

He then without another word escorted the two girls into the large doors behind the guard that had given them trouble.

Meanwhile Sokka and Aang and Daiken made their to the back of the palace, they couldn't waist any time, the girls would be waiting for them inside.

"Hey!" came a voice from behind them, they turned to see what looked like an Over seer of the servants. They all bowed instinctively.

"Your hats on sideways..." the man said after a while. Sokka quickly readjusted it and Aang smiled to himself.

"Now we have over 500 guests in there who're going to want to drink down expensive wine, now get moving! No breaks tonight!" He barked at the three of them and handed them platters with goblets brimming with drinks on them. They all attempted, Sokka with the most trouble, to keep the drinks from spilling.

"Well that was easy.." Aang whispered as they made there way into the side room without reproach. "Now to find the Earth King..." inside they saw what Aang thought to be considerably more then 500 guests it looked like 1000 at first glance. "Oh boy..." Aang said.

"How're we going to find the Earth King in all of these people?" Sokka whined, suddenly they heard a low grumble and roar at the head of a table in the distance.

"Cue the birthday bear..." Aang said, "Come on he's gotta be there..."

* * *

Zuko looked at all the people they passed by as sailed down the waterway in the little boat. He saw a father lifting his boy onto his shoulders so he could get a better look at the fireworks, the father looked honestly a little like Iroh if he were a little more thin and not as grey haired.

Zuko looked away from this.

"Is something wrong?" Jin asked. "I'm fine..." Zuko said not looking her in the eye.

"Alright..." she responded. "We can talk about something else.."

Damn it how did she know that whatever it was was personal to him? He didn't like people having how he worked down...he wasn't used to it, not even with his Uncle having the Patton on that.

"Do you ever wonder how fireworks work?" she asked. "I always have. I've always wondered how they make those shapes look exactly the way they want them when they explode.."

Zuko kept glancing at the water, "That's nice..." he said.

He glanced momentarily at her arm and saw a mark on it, "So what happened to your hand?"

She quickly drew it back, "OH! Nothing!" she said. "Just um, an iron burn is all..."

Zuko was thinking "oh okay.." but what came out was: "That didn't look like a burn." and it didn't, he knew what all forms of fire or heat based injuries looked like, that was no burn.

"Oh yeah.." she smiled, "It fell on my arm off of the board, stupid mistake on my part. I can be really clumsy."

Zuko frowned his good eye on the side of his face she couldn't see, she was lying.

"So..." he went on, "You Iron?"

"Yes!" Jin replied, "Me and my mother both. Every so often there's an accident if your not careful or don't what your supposed to."

Zuko tilted his head more her way now.

"Well..I've never really ironed anything..." he admitted honestly, he'd only seen his uncle do that. "But...did you back into it or something? It's in a very awkward place."

Jin fumbled "I probably did. Anyway I think another series of fireworks is starting!" she said pointing to the sky and keeping her other arm down and behind her.

Zuko looked at her for a minute then at the sky, thinking about what she said; not just that she was lying, but HOW. She was avoiding the topic, and it wasn't of fear of him finding out something, she was scared of somebody..

* * *

After walking a while with Long Feng, Katara and Toph bowed to him and said "Well thank you, so so much for escorting us, I'm sure we'll find our family on our own now."

They quickly turned to disappear amidst the crowds, but before they could push past even 2 people, they saw before them Long Feng again as if he had telleported, it made them jump.

"Oh no.." Long Feng objected, "It would be dishonorable for me to leave you until you've found your parents, we can keep looking, come." He ushered them through the crowds now in his polite way, staying very close to them.

Katara looked at Toph nervously as soon as Feng's back was turned, this was NOT good. The way he'd said what he did, it was as if knew they weren't who they said they were and simply wanted to embarrass them by this, or maybe that was their nerves playing with them. Either way, even in the immense crowds, it looked like they were going to run out of people to shuffle through.

"Come on Aang.." katara thought, "find the King..."

Suddenly as they turned a corner Toph yanked Katara out of the way and was just about to earth bend when a stone tile of the floor flipped up, tripping Katara and she felt what was like a statues hand or stone fingers cup around her mouth and grab her hands, and yank her the rest of the way around the corner, along with toph who was herself yanked away into the darkness of that hallway.

When Katara opened her eyes she was in walking dazed down a hall very quickly with two guards on either side of her, an iron grasp on her arms behind her.

Looking between the two she saw by their robes and face shrowding hats they were Dai Li agents.

"What is the meaning of this!" she demanded, "When my parents find out, the senators of this city will-!"

Suddenly the grasp on her arm losened but remained on her arms, "Enough Water tribe girl. We know who you are.." one said un-amused.

Katara's eyes bugged. "Where's Toph! Where are my friends why have you taken me!" she demanded.

Before she could ask again they came to the end of the dark hall they were marching down and two great doors with the images of Lion Turtles on them swung open to reveal a large study, filled to the top with books, and old suits of armor. The room would be nearly as dark as the hallway, only instead of being lit by green torches, it was lit by an enormous fire place, which poured green light into the room.

She was let go, not harshly but not softly either into the middle of the room right as the doors shut behind her. As she looked around she saw standing in front of the great fire was the man, Long Feng who had escorted her and Toph inside the palace.

"You!" she said reaching her hand to her hip instinctually, but finding no water pouch.

"Ms. Katara please..inside voices..." Feng said in his composed way.

Suddenly 2 more doors in the room opened out came Toph, Aang, Daiken, and Sokka lead by Dai Li. The ones escorting Aang and the boys weren't struggling with them, they walked along as if nothing was the matter, what was going on.

"Aang?!" Katara said. "Katara?" Aang said seeing and hearing something was obviously wrong.

"Leave us..." Long Feng said.

The Dai Li GLIDED Backwards it seemed as the doors shut behind them.

"I have brought you here to discuss matters with you as you are ALL becoming a great annoyance to us.."

Aang rushed to Katara's side as she and Toph rubbed their arms.

"Whats the meaning of this?" Aang demanded, "We told you that we NEED to see the Earth King!"

"It's on a matter of National security." Daiken put in.

"About the war!" Sokka finished, "The war that no one around here wants to accept is going on!"

Long Feng turned to look at them, his face wasn't an angry one, it was as congenial as before.

"Did they hurt you?" Aang asked Katara.

"No..they just snatched us a like a Lemur ferret...!" Katara said.

"NO but THEY'RE going to hurt we don't get some answers!" Toph glared.

Long Feng didn't even blink, "I am Long Feng, Secretariat of Ba Sing Se, and Chief of the Dai Li. I maintain the cities order and cultural poise..." he stressed the word order.

"But the war!" Sokka said frustratingly.

"The Earth King cannot be troubled with such minor inconveniences...or political squabble; the day to day manusha of military matters." Long Feng replied calmly. "Whats most important to his royal majesty is maintaining the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se, issuing decree's on such matters, preserving the monarchy and it's line. It's my job to over see the rest of the cities resources, including the military."

"So all the power essentially is invested in you.." Katara said folding her arms.

"Your Nations leader, its _Monarch,_ is merely a figure head to you?" Daikan said narrowing his eyes.

"He's your puppet!" Toph said glaring.

Long Feng looked hurt putting a hand on his chest, but in an almost mocking way, "Oh no no! His majesty is a god, and icon to his people. He can't sully his hands with the hourly changes of an endless war, or its costs..."

Sokka again stepped forward, "But with this information we have, you can END the war! Lead an invasion, stop all this madness...-"

"Forget it Sokka." Aang said frowning, "He said it's COSTS, war's always expensive..isn't it.."

Long Feng's smile disappeared, "Enough!"he turned again to Sokka, "And I've no intention of your ridiculous plan! It's a strict Policy of Ba Sing Se that the war or its status NOT be mentioned inside the walls! Constant news of an escelating war would send the citizens into fits of panic, our ecconemy would be broken, or traditions, our ways of life would vanish, our societies established orders would be mingled and sullied."

"Your social CLASSES would be sullied you mean.." Aang frowned.

"..Maintaining which keeps Ba Sing Se a peaceful orderly Utopia, the last one on Earth, and hence the greatest, and slowly becoming the most prosperous."

"Or making YOU The most prosperous..." Daiken said through his teeth balling a fist.

Katara pointed a finger at Long Feng, "You can't use the people like this, or keep the truth from them. Give us audience with the King or we'll tell everyone!"

Long Feng's half frown turned into a full one, "Up in until now you have been treated as honored guests in our city, but from now on you shall be watched every moment by Dai Li agents. If their is any mention from either of you about the war, you shall be expelled from our city." He turned around to face the fire again.

Before Aang could open his mouth to say something, almost on cue, Long Feng interupted. "And, I understand you've been looking for your beast of burden...Sky bison?"

Everyone eyes grew.

"It would be a shame if it were made impossible for you to succeed in your quest..." he finished. Suddenly the door to the left of them opened, flooding light from the hallway inside the study.

"Now..Joo Dee will take you home..." Long Feng said sitting in a chair across from the fire to sip some saki.

The Gang looked bewildered, infuriated, and shell shocked towards their chaperon. But she was NOT Joo Dee.

"That's not Joo Dee..." Katara said nervously.

"I am Joo Dee..." the young woman said in robotic sounding voice as if she was a parrot. "Welcome to Ba Sing Se...I'll be your host in our wonderful city..." she said with a huge smile.

* * *

Zuko walked down the path to the area where Jin lived. "Thanks again for taking me.." Jin said smiling. "Yeah sure..." Zuko said flatly. He didn't look away from looking a head...he didn't want give away that he he had a suspicion they were being followed...until. He looked behind him again, seeing nothing behind them but an old lady carrying sticks on her back in a large sack.

"I can make it home from here!" Jin said hurriedly. "Thank you again, I'll um, see you tomorrow maybe!" she got up on her toes kissing Zuko's cheek which stunned him to a stand still even after she'd scuttled off down the slums.

He felt his cheek, as much as he attempted to convince himself otherwise...he did like that. He did miss Mai an awful lot too..but..agh! This was nothing to be thinking about right now, he was getting all deshovled...and now getting paranoid, maybe he thought that those freedom fighting goons were following him.

He turned back down an ally to take a short cut home when suddenly he noticed something. Someone was coming out of an ally across from him as he went into his, and he recognized him; it was the slurred man from the tea shop who had been such a pain. He was frowning and just now had dropped a bottle of some kind wrapped in a bag. He was looking into the ally that Zuko was now hidden in blinking, glaring. Zuko didn't move but waited to see what he would do. Then he saw him sneakily go specifically down the path Jin had gone. Zuko bit his lip frowning...his gut was telling him this wasn't coincidence...but at the same time if this was nothing then...no, he was all the way out here now, and he was certain they had been tailed most of the night.

He followed the man down the path of the neighborhood, staying well hidden, silent, making sure not to rustle or even make the stinking mud of the path slosh. How had Jin managed to keep her dress clean through this?

As he turned a corner, he ducked back quickly to see the man hiding behind a news pillar himself, his eyes on Jin...Zuko glared. He saw him come from behind it and towards the house that Jin went into, it was a little hole in the wall.

Before Zuko could put a foot out to call out to them, he saw the man grab Jin by the back of her hair and her shriek from it before she was shoved into the house as he opened the door.

Zuko out right ran towards the home full speed.

"Who was that?" he heard coming from inside as the door slammed shut and clicked. "Please, don't do this, she was just enjoying herself!" he heard a woman's voice which wasn't Jin's coming from inside it.

He heard a smack and a table crash, "So you were in on this you cow! I thought as much!..."

Zuko had fully backed up to break the door in as he heard, "Daddy stop it!" CRASH the door broke down with the full force of his shoulder. As he regained his balance and looked around the little room he saw the man standing over Jin on the floor who had her hands up defensively, and a woman getting up from a knocked over little table wiping her mouth. Everyone was wide eyed AND looking at Zuko.

"Lee!" Jin said in a sharp whisper. He saw the balled fist of the large man, clenching even more at the sight of Zuko. "Let me guess...Ironing injury..." Zuko said frowning.

"Who in the hell is this guy-..wait...your that preen you were going out with!" he snarled at Jin.

"Daddy he was walking me home from the fireworks show!" Jin protested.

"I walk you home..." The man bellowed, "and this guy so happens to break down the door of MY house...? What've you two been doing behind my back..."

"Nothing daddy! He's just kind to me-" Jin said teary eyed. The man stepped over her making her recoil and paced towards Zuko. The woman who he now knew to be her mother stood up, "Bong! No! Please!" she glanced at Zuko, "Get out of here please!"

Jin grabbed her father's leg and, "No please he'll leave just don't-" she was swatted back to the floor.

"GET...away from her..." Zuko said through his teeth.

The man, Bong, crackled his fingers and Coals from near the fire place rose from the floor. Some of them licked with red from the fire still.

"Oh so now this guy is telling me how to treat my family..." the man glared.

Zuko narrowed his eyes looking at the floating and now burning coals. Suddenly he looked over behind Bong at Jin who had gotten up and was cupping her cheek and he saw a bruise on her cheek, exactly where Zuko's scar was...suddenly he flashed back at how he looked when he saw in the mirror what his face looked like after his father's agni kai...

As Bong's coals zipped at Zuko with earth bending, Zuko, quicker then lightning ducked under them, using his hand to grab the ones he couldn't avoid fire bending a small lair around them to keep the heat from burning his hands, grabbed Bong's arm and pushed the other one with coals on them on his shoulder, making him howl in pain.

Jin screamed, and Bong attempted to elbow Zuko in the face but he moved back and returned to fighting stance.

"If you were so angry at me then why'd you follow your defenseless daughter and not me down that ally...afraid I might be to much to handle?" Zuko snarled.

The man gritted his teeth holding his shoulder as he staggered back.

Zuko went to help Jin up, but she recoiled with a dazed and confused look on her face. Suddenly she took his hand hard to spin him out of the way, "LEE LOOK OUT!" He looked over his shoulder to see Bong using his good hand to try to lob a chair at Zuko and her, he pushed her out of the way to catch the brunt of it with his back which knocked him towards the fire place on his hand and knee's.

Before he could get up again he heard "Daddy no!" and a kick in the small of his back making him go forward towards the fire. His hands landed in the coals to break his fall.

Zuko quickly bent the fire on the coals to lesson the heat that would inevitably burn his hands if he hadn't. "LEE!" Jin shrieked. Zuko roared refusing to let any flame touch his face again and grabbing a hand full of the hot coals, he intensified their flame before hurling them at Bong. Bong yelled as outright fire balls soared at him from the hot coals and caught his clothes on fire.

"BONG!" His wife yelled, he hurriedly got his coat off. The moment he got it off and stomped it out, he was side kicked out the opening where his door used to be out into the mud.

Zuko leaped out the door after him before the large man could get up and began punching him repeatedly in the face.

"YOU!" *punch* "WOULD BURN" *punch* "YOUR OWN" *punch* "DAUGHTER" *punch* Suddenly he felt a hand grab his shoulder, and he could suddenly hear what was going on around him again.

"-I SAID STOP IT OR I'LL CALL THE GUARD!" finished the mother of Jin. The hand on his shoulder was Jin's though trying to pull him off.

The entire neighborhood it looked like was out of their homes and looking down at him.

"Lee! Please..." she said teary eyed.

Zuko looked down at Bong who was rolling his eyes back in his head, with red lips and face. He allowed Jin to pull him off of Bong and stood to his feet.

"Get out of here!" The mother yelled, half angry half in terror.

"This man does this too you and you side with him?..." Zuko asked angrily. He was about to yell more but then it caught in his throat...remembering his own...situation.

"Mother stop!" Jin said, he was just trying to protect us!" she said taking Zuko's hand. She suddenly re-gripped his hand as she felt that his hand wasn't burnt, and looked wide eyed at it.

"You..." she said looking up at him as he yanked his hands back.

Suddenly earth bending patrollers came along, their hands on their swords in their hilts.

"What's going on here...?" the captain said. "Someone ran to get me from the upper district...someone'd better be dead..."

Jin's mother was helping her husband Bong up. Bong who was regaining consciousness pointed a finger at Zuko, "He attacked me and my family!" he glared.

"That isn't what happened!" Jin said.

"JIN!" Bong hissed.

"Hey wait a second..." one of the soldiers said, "I know this kid, he was the boy who defended his uncle from that hook sworded maniac at the tea shop!" He turned to Zuko and Jin, "Are there two sides to this story?" the guard asked.

"Jiiiin..." Bong said under his breath threateningly. Zuko spoke up as Jin backed up.

"I saw this guy following her and me when i dropped her off at her neighborhood...he followed her the rest of the way home and began beating-"

"LIES!" Bong roared, "Look what he did to my face!"

The guard glanced from Jin too Bong, "I was busy looking at what was done to your girls face..."

"Do your job officer, arrest this dropping!" he pointed at Zuko.

"Filo! Tell em what happened!" he said turning to Jin's mother. She said nothing "Filo!" he said louder.

Zuko just saw everyone else just standing and looking to see what happened next.

"What is wrong with you!?" he said looking at everyone, you all live next door you had to have heard what was going on! Why do you do NOTHING about this!" he said directing his attention lastly on Jin's mom Filo.

A few citizens glared at Zuko and others just avoided his gaze.

Bong also looked to everyone as if he was daring them to come forward, then he saw Zuko's unburnt hands like Jin had.

"You! Those hands! You aren't burnt...You!-"

"He bent coals at me and mama!" Jin blurted out over her father, everyone looked at Jin.

"JIN!" Bong hissed.

"He-he's done it before..." she said hiding behind Zuko a little. Bong put a foot forward to run at her, "You little!-"

He was clubbed in the back of the head by the hilt of the guards sword. "I've heard enough..! Let's book em captain!"

The annoyed captain of the guard rolled his eyes and helped his men earth bend restraints with ropes tied into the rock on his hands.

"FILO!" Bong yelled to his wife. "Come on! Tell em!" Filo just looked at her husband and shook her head putting her hands on Jin's shoulders.

"FILO YOU ROTTEN-" he was yanked on by the soldiers roughly as they lead him out of the neighborhood.

Everyone miraculously headed back into their homes...Zuko couldn't believe the cowardice. He turned to Jin, "Thank you..." he said, knowing what she had done by not revealing what he was.

Jin didn't reply she just put her hand on his face smiling, "Jin let's..get inside...now.." he heard her mother beckon. "We have to get out of here...in case they let him out..."

Jin nodded, "Right mother..." Zuko looked at Filo, "I'm sorry about your house..." he said in an "_I guess"_ sort of way. Filo just nodded, "Right, I, I think you'd best go now.."

Zuko looked around at the neighbor's who were glancing at him from their windows, as if he was some sort of freak, or glaring. WHAT exactly had he done wrong...? And why did he feel so...guilty...

"Whatever..." he said angrily and turned to go. "Lee!" Jin said and gave him a quick kiss before he walked on, "I'll try to find you when we've settled some place else.."

"Jinny! Let's go!" the mother insisted. "Goodbye!" Jin said rushing inside to help her mom pack.

Zuko just stood there in the muddy street.

...he had nearly blown his cover, earned the disdain of a district, and distanced himself from someone who was actually...nice, just cause he wanted to do the right thing...but what was egging at him, was how he was fighting inwardly like mad to keep the comparison of this and what had happened to him as a child from circulating in his head.

He was NOT going to think about this, this was totally different...TOTALLY DIFFERENT! He hit his hand on the side of a building as he walked back through the ally ways.

All this good Samaritan...undoing...reformation...he was becoming more like his uncle...but, was that a bad thing...?

* * *

The fishing town

Jasheik rolled his arm a little sitting up in his bed. His arm had been popped back into place and was just now regaining its feeling of regularity into it again.

"There ya see?" said the sailor who had done it, "Good as new.." Jashiek smiled up at them.

Suddenly a bang bang erupted from the door, and it burst open before someone could even turn the knob to answer it.

Fire Nation guards poured in, "Fire Nation Calvary..." one of them barked. "We're out for the arrest of the man who attacked the Fire Nations Princess Azula..."

Everyone in the room gasped, Jashiek said nothing. "Princess Azula is here?" Someone said from the crowd.

As Jasheik glanced around he noticed that there were indeed red and black clad fisherman along with the grey and green, it had been harder to tell in the dark with only a lantern to tell, but for sure he could see...this was one of the syndicated colonies...MIXED colonies...

"He would be pale, dark eyed, tall..." the Fire Nation Patrolman said. "A fire bender..." he glanced at Jashiek who now calmly rose from his bed.

"An awful lot like you..." the captain said getting into a bending stance. "Where'd this fellow come from..." he asked.

"Uh...he..we dredged him up from the water...near the cliffs" the fisherman said.

"That was where Marshall Brago said they had chased him..." the captain said, "You a bender mister..?"

Jasheik stood up to look eye to eye with the Captain, "I said can you bend man." he said.

Jasheik still said nothing taking his robe and putting it on his back.

"One way to find out..." the captain said... and Fire bent past Jasheik's face, Jashiek didn't move.

"I'm not a fire bender captain..." Jashiek said. "And I didn't fire bend against the princess...Fire is ravaging and destroys everything as well as everyone, like those trees meant for me. An entire forest gone."

The guard put his fist up to make a fire ball in front of Jashiek's face but it went out as soon as he conjured it, and his hand began to shake as if he he had paulsy.

"Why do that when I can burn...the specific person...and make them feel...exactly what its like to burn..." he said glaring slowly.

The entire fishing clan that was inside the house began to back away and move to the door but someone all of a sudden lifted off the ground as if by magic and rammed into the door slamming it shut before falling to the ground.

"When people like you..." Jasheik said, raising his hand now, "Burnt down my village, and I had to feel the burning of fire on my hand from trying to put my parents out, never forgetting the feeling, and never forgetting what they must have felt till their last minutes..."

The guards all begin lifting into the air as the fishermen and women all backed up against the walls.

"So now you all can know exactly what it feels like...too be cooked from the inside out..." Suddenly the guards began yelling in agony and the fishermen and women attempted to open the door but another guard was thrown against them to block the way against them.

"I am Jashiek the boiler...and you fire benders, fire Nation and those who would taint yourselves with them...will feel know the agony of burning as the very blood in your body bakes the skin off of your flesh!..."

Soon the entire fishing house was echoing with squeals and cries of pain.


	47. Chapter 47

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_Tales of Ba Sing Se_

Aang breathed slowly in and out, his eyes closed, his knee's bent and palms pointed towards the ground.

"You ready?" he heard Daiken say.

"I'm ready..." Aang replied. He reached to the sand bellow his feet and it answered him, rolling over his feet, sliding around his ankles.

As soon as he heard the bell jingle his eyes jolted open and he used the sand to move himself out of the way to the side as a huge wall of sand learched at him like a great octopus arm.

Another rose up out of the sand garden pit he was in and attempted to slam into him, Aang kicked his foot up, knee to chest and sent a sand wave himself at the great mass heading towards him, splitting it in two.

Aang smiled a bit glad he'd gotten the hang of it, then felt a tug at his leg. He was being yanked into the sand against his will like quick sand.

"Reach out Avatar." Daiken said from across the sand pit. "I am controlling the rocks, as one, but it eves and slips from me like water would for you. It's lucid, reach out to it before it can change form, fight ME for it..."

Aang did his best beckoning with his earth bending to the sand. "It's to small! I can't gather it fast enough!" Aang said.

"Think of it as a solid broken up!" Daiken called out, "It is a pliant rock..."

"A pliant...rock..." Aang said shutting his eyes.

He felt the sand between his toes, shifting like water, course water. He mad a fist and tightened his toes, then un-balled it and loosened his toes. He felt the sand not as little grains but a sheet like a carpet of beads but still one carpet. He reached out to it and balled his fist again and the sand stopped moving and volted his hands up making the sand push him out and up, rising up on a sand podium he had made.

"VERY Good..." Daiken said smiling.

Aang grinned broadly and let himself go down to ground level. "I'm still not as fast for you, and I could tell you let me win that quick sand move..." he said dusting his hands.

"That'll come.." Daiken said, your realizing how each little part is part of a big picture, it reminded me most of this when we were inside that drill, it moves as one with many parts...it's how i've viewed the desert, each grain makes it what it is."

"I see what you mean." Aang said using air to blow the sand out of this clothes.

"Well.." Daiken said turning to Toph. "Do you still think I don't have enough to teach Aang that you haven't?"

Toph stayed on the rock she sat on, leaning back on her hands. "We'll see as soon as you get him good enough to spar with me." she said grinning to herself.

Aang gulped, ad Daiken squeezed his shoulder. "You'll be sufficient enough of an opponent when I am through with you Avatar." he chuckled. "And don't worry, I'll soften her up for you.."

Aang glanced quickly at Toph, who simply smiled slowly as she stood on the rock now. "You keep joking like that your going to believe your own delusions dustman."

"You still haven't been able to knock me down Master Toph." Daiken said in a _By the By_ manner. "Wasn't really trying..." Toph replied yawning and used the rock she was on to lower her down to the garden floor towards the house.

Aang glanced back again to catch the last of a bigger grin on Daiken's face disappear. The Sand Nomad leaned down and picked his Cricket Lute up and strapped it to his back.

"Where you off too?" Aang asked. Daiken shrugged, "Walk I suppose...your free to come." He said. "Okay!" Aang said perkily.

Aang had noticed several changes in his Earth Trainers after the gang's unofficial house arrest, or rather _city arrest_. He'd noticed that Daiken's and Toph's moods were very adverse to being in any form of containment, UNLESS they were sparring each other or in each others presence. Also that despite both his trainers senses of humor, or the lack of, both could take taunts pelted against each other that to anyone else they would have either chewed out or clocked in the face over.

"So..." Aang said, "Toph's warmed up to you hasn't she?" Aang said. Daiken tightened his cuff while walking, "If by warming up she's determined to best me in sparring than yes."

"You've warmed up to me as well." Daiken went on.

Aang nodded as he walked, "Well true, but your a great teacher. I guess I mean with you and Toph you've gotten...closer...sort of warmed up to her."

Daiken said nothing for a second before saying "So...as in the same sense as you've grown closer to your Katara friend?"

Aang's smiled vanished for a spell then returned chuckling it off, "Um, yes I guess so..."

"I mean that in a good way." Daiken assured.

Aang nodded quickly, "Well of course! I mean how else could it be meant, Katara's the best!" Daiken just smiled looking on.

"I mean, I've always thought that, there's never been a day I didn't think she was.." Aang went on, and Daiken continued to say nothing but grinned.

"Katara's been my best friend for as long as I've known since everything, I owe her so much, through everything..." Aang continued.

"You don't have to sell me Aang." Daiken said.

Aang shook his head, "Oh I'm not trying to, I'm just saying, cause you know, it's...-"

"Am I really the one your trying to convince Aang?" Daiken asked.

That hit Aang between the eyes, "I um.." Aang stammered a little until he sighed. "I don't wanna hurt Katara anymore..."

Daiken and Aang rounded a bend going up the bridge that went over the upper district's water way, "Who says you've been hurting her?" Daiken says.

"Well..." Aang said, "I owe her...so much and...she's been right about more things then I've given her credit, and now sometimes, I think she looks...I don't know guilty about something, and I'm afraid to talk to her about it cause I think I know.."

Daiken stopped to look at the Turtle ducks passing beneath them.

Aang sighed, "I know you haven't been in our group very long, but could I confide something in you?"

Daiken looked at him with his typical serious face now, "If you wish it."

"Well you just seem to know your stuff..." Aang said.

"My...stuff?" Daiken asked. Aang shrugged, "You know, about life, things...?" -he shook his head- "and well, I think that she's finally..begun to like me back and...now feels bad cause I...I feel differently about Ty Lee then I had."

Daiken just nodded.

"So I'm stuck!" Aang said. "I mean she attacked our group, I knew she was...impressionable..." he sighed this last part, "But I believed that she could withstand that, that she could make it with us...I could see in her eyes how much she wanted it...so much.." he trailed off.

"Mhm..." Daiken mused, "But?"

Aang continued, "But, she attacked our friends instead of join up with us, she attacked the Terra-Team. And I mean it's been what, almost a week here in Ba Sing Se, and Katara's acting so..."

Daiken looked at the water again, "I can't make a decision like this for you Aang, you clearly have tossed and turned this over in your mind more then me if its up for debate even now."

Aang groaned, "I know I know! I just...I feel like I'm letting Katara down by sticking with this, I mean she's the most loyal friend I know and she's putting herself out on the line like i did when I said I loved her. But at the same time...Ty Lee put her life on the line for me...twice, heh, more the twice. I know somehow that...she can still be good, that there must have been some mistake...or is that just wishful thinking?"

Daiken leaned off of the marble railing now, "She was in a giant machine surrounded by her family and friends...one's you said she was afraid of?" Daiken said.

Aang nodded, "Yeah."

"Right.." Daiken went on, "So perhaps this was an act she was putting on..." he said shrugging.

"Exactly!" Aang said, "I mean she didn't kill anyone, took their bending for a while sure but...oh i don't know!"

Daiken sighed and put a hand on Aang's shoulders looking down at him. "You owe it to yourself to pursue what is best for you Avatar, you already pursue whats best for other's as a second nature. The dilemma I see, is someone who desperately wants to see the second chance he gave someone show fruit...again. There is nothing wrong with that."

Aang looked up at the Sand Bender, "But what if I'm wrong?"

"Those five words will be a wall greater then Ba Sing Se's to us if we let them, and keep us from making the right decision when one needs to be made. If Katara is as understanding as you say, you need to tell her about this in your own time or this...guilt you speak of, will eat away at both of you."

Aang rubbed his eye, "Your right..."

"And I am truly sorry we have not found your bison yet..." Daiken added.

Aang sighed, "I know you are Daiken, I know you are not like the ones who took him. I just wish i knew somehow he's alright...I mean I feel like I've searched everywhere..."

Daiken looked at the setting sun, "The eyes of the Dai Li are constantly on us, even now. Anything we do is telegraphed to their network, they own the underground and the over ground...we have to find a middle to exploit if we're to do anything, regarding your bison or the Earth King..."

Aang nodded, still using his glider as a walking stick. "Too think, this city is supposed to be some grand utopia...and yet it's really become the worlds largest and most organized prison...and now we're knowing what it's like to be a _pampered_ inmate!"

"Bars you cannot feel or touch can be the worst." Daiken admitted. "My people have kept themselves imprisoned for generations now...they're traditions and squabbles have kept them from seeing eye to eye even if if united by blood..."

"And I'm supposed to change all this..." Aang said. "Yet here I am in the heart of a friendly city, and my Bison's held hostage, I can't keep a promise to a girl who saved my life, and I can't even figure out how to feel about her OR my best friend who..I mean I've always thought of her as more then a-...Gah!"

Daiken looked down at Aang, "Do not worry about being a legend you haven't already lived out Aang. Your legacy will create itself as you handle this each problem at a time, and not alone regardless...We managed to outfox the Dai Li to get in the palace; they really think they're going to keep your bison from you?"

Aang smiled a little at this, "Thanks Daiken..." he said, "That helped. There are just so many times where, I mean this whole city has given up on the ideal of the Avatar, I'm just a...celebrity to them, a fad..."

"We will not give up on you. I will not. Nor will they when they see just what your ideal is in action...as a plea for me people, never give up on yourself.."

Aang's smile turned into a serious one, "Your right, and I won't, I WILL find Appa, I won't ever give up on those who need me."

"I know you will not." Daiken grinned back at Aang. "I think..." he went on, "and this is my opinion...let Katara know that you do not hold anything against her, things unsaid say to much of what they don't mean."

Aang nodded and his pace quickened as they walked down the path that curved leading them back in the direction they came.

"...Aang?" Daiken said. "Yeah?" Aang replied.

"Um, Sokka and Toph..how warmed up exactly are they to each other...?" Daiken asked.

"I knew it!" Aang laughed.

* * *

Zuko strolled down the street, letting his feet carry him where they may. He had no idea where he was going honestly, just ambling about. Well actually maybe it was a little bit more then ambling and maybe it wasn't so honest..

His feet took him down an ally way, across a bridge, and to a suburb of a slum, one that had once been home to Jin Song, the girl who had shown him kindness in Ba Sing Se.

Sure enough someone else was in front of the porch, relaxing in a chair, and the inside of it showed signs of being empty from an open window he could make out.

Apparently they'd just up and given the house, or sold it to someone for a good price most likely and moved on.

He had never told his uncle of that night, he didn't want to get into the philosophical topic it would bring...and what it would lead to...it was to close to home a subject.

He turned to go on his way when he heard, "Hey you!"

He thought about not regarding the call and hoping it was meant for someone else.. in spite of the fact he was the only one in the street right now.

"Yes you...boy with the face.." the voice went on. Oh that was it...

He turned around "There something you wanna say about me?" Zuko said nearing the lady on the porch.

"Easy mister...easy..." the woman said as she smoked her pipe, she didn't act threatened at all. "I just wanted to get your attention..."

"And you lost it..." Zuko said, "Good day..." he turned to leave again.

"You did us all a favor you know..." she said. Zuko stopped.

The small woman puffed a smoke ring and said, "No one said a thing about that Brute and how he was treating those poor girls.."

"Including you?" Zuko said. The woman shook her head, "I'm a formerly convicted felon with a bad hip that no one cares about, except for that sweet Jin. The enforcement seemed to believe them to be the rantings of a former incense woman."

"Former?" Zuko said.

"Clean as a whistle now. Now its just pipes for me." She said smiling at the bright sun.

Zuko nodded a bit, "Alright. Good day.." he said again and turned once more.

"That Jin girl wanted to let you know she was sorry she couldn't stay to say goodbye." The woman said.

Zuko just stood half turned, "Yeah?" he said.

"Yes sir. She said that her and her mother would try some other districts, maybe even a colony on the outskirts of the outer wall...but that she wanted to be the one to find you."

Zuko nodded, "I see."

"You did more for them then they could've really done for themselves. I owe that sweet girl for being a friend to me when she didn't have ta, so now I'm relaying this to you."

Zuko nodded, "Good day..." he said again, but it was more of a "thank you" good day.

"She also asked for me to not call you the scar faced boy if i couldn't remember your name." the woman called again. That made Zuko smile a tad, or rather made the edge of his mouth move at all.

Zuko walked on raising a hand to indicate he heard that.

* * *

Fire Nation encampment

Oh of only Clera could see him now, he knew she'd giggle uncontrollably and point. But now she wasn't his little sister anymore, she was his big little sister...big and married, and of all people to that Kairont fellow.

Brago had not seen Kairont longer than he had not seen his step sister, but what he remembered from them being teenagers was that Kairont was an upstaging arrogant young man, who wanted to exceed in arts of fighting, music, or dueling just to prove he was multi-talented.

Kairont had always had a disdain for Brago, for he was the one boy in their boarding school who had bested Kairont in a duel, where he had used a stick like a sword against Kairont who had used his bending.

He hoped to the spirits that Kairont had at least matured a little in the time past while he was away, but he doubted it very much. In pride he was too much like the dignitaries his step mother tried to impress, and too much like his father in temper.

That's why he wanted this to work so bad, to actually be involved in taking down the wall...or infiltrating it, getting a leg up on the Avatar...something! Something that could put him over, elevate him in rank, hopefully enough to be able to journey home and see just what the situation was back home. Clera had been his one and only real friend after Lu-Ten went off to war...and later passed on.

She was so fragile and innocent, but at the same time stronger then most people, even her mother gave her credit for. Although belittled constantly by their father Zhao, Clera had always shown the bigger back bone and taken it dutifully, only to run back to her step brother whenever it was over for him to be there for her. She was just the stress relief he needed and visa versa, to not feel so...trapped with Zhao.

Suddenly a clapping was heard behind Brago and he saw Azula clapping slowly in the mirror's reflection. "Charming...in a pathetic, country bumpkin sort of way. You look positively simple, you made this disguise work for you.." she smirked slyly. Brago sighed inside and stood to attention.

As he turned around he noticed that she was already nearly done with her Kyoshi warrior disguise, only her hair and makeup were lacking really.

"And you look, convincing...nearly..." Brago said regarding her. Azula cocked her head smiling to herself proudly, "These Kyoshi fools carry themselves so...absurdly it will be interesting to play as them when actually inside the walls.."

Brago tightened his belt looking in the mirror again. "Where are they to be taken?" he asked.

"Back home, to boiling rock..." Azula said fixing her hair next to him in the mirror. "Not one of our prisons here?" Brago asked.

Azula cast him an exasperated look before looking again to fix her hair. "Now Lieutenant, don't tell me that big brain of yours has stopped working. Imprison one of the most dangerous and influential freedom fighters in this region in a colonies dungeon? No she needs to be taken back, out of her flower bed where her followers will be broken due to her absence remaining here. Let the pain of her loss be tangible enough for them to feel, and allow the rumors of her death or imprisonment somewhere afar circulate to kill what hope there is in this valley."

Brago shrugged a bit, "That would accomplish it, but don't you have you own mirror, your highness?" he asked the last part more as a "_why are you here?"_ then to mean any disrespect.

Azula just smirked looking at her newly finished red kyoshi lips in the mirror. "It's fun to see you stand at attention soldier." she mused.

Brago rolled his eyes a little while she looked in the other direction. She walked by him, purposefully brushing her hip against his hand. He cleared his throat feeling that in surprise.

Azula just smiled to herself and exited the door. My my he was fun...she thought, almost as fun as it was when they she and the girls were all 10 or 11 and Brago 15. Azula had known that in military training, all cadets or young officers were required to stand whenever a lady entered the room, so she wasted no time in informing Mai and Ty to simultaneously enter and exit the room after each other constantly while Brago would be sitting in the schools hall, making him stand up and sit down over and over again, just to see if he would keep doing it and giggle. Well it was mostly Ty Lee and her, Mai had chickened out of it eventually, lord knew she crushed on the older boy, though she never told Zuko that, and everyone knew that while she blushed at Captain Zhao's son, she was head over heals about Azula's brother.

Only now all these years later, her brother was a fool, out with her uncle being an embarrassment to both her and their father.

Ty Lee was showing her usefulness more and more as she acted more and more collected and focused for some reason; even to the point of nearly capturing the Avatar. Mai was about the same, even though even now Azula could tell that Brago's presence flustered her, and it wasn't as if she was "_taken_" due to the imbecilic stunt her brother pulled.

Azula was almost glad that Mai was seeing someone else in that light other then her brother...almost...

After all, Brago was also _not taken_ and whats more had grown up and returned to them a very fetching catch...so if Mai wasn't going to make a move, well...what's one boy toy to another? Especially when you have the authority to make them do things for you...

Azula went back to the rooms where Mai and Ty Lee were finishing up their make up. "I found my lipstick girls..." Azula said. "Can you help me when Ty's finished with you Mai?" she asked.

"Sure.." Mai said boredly.

Ty Lee however was not dressed as Kyoshi warrior and was currently leaning over Mai as she did her hair in a Kyoshi style.

At the last minute before being carted away, one of the kyoshi girls had grabbed the clothes that had been confiscated from them and hurled them into the fire outside, only 2 were saved and usable. Azula was livid, how did they know where they put the bundles of their clothes?...Ty Lee was utterly thankful she hadn't guessed it was her who had clued them.

This provided said setback: Ty Lee was to impersonate a sister, cousin or whatever was convenient at the time of Brago's as he infiltrated the wall ahead of Mai and Azula.

It was unexpectedly convenient that Ty Lee had a brown woodnut eye texture, it made her believable as an Earth Kingdom citizen, as where neither Mai nor Azula could pull off said look being golden eyed.

Ty was dressed in shepherds rags, like Brago, with a large leather belt and cuff, her pants were burlap, and tight on her legs, like jogging pants. They belonged to a younger child then her. Her plan was to wear a shawl or something to wear like a dress. But she needed something less lose and ruffly to do acrobats with.

"Your awfully composed Ty dear..." Azula noticed, fanning her self, and eyeing herself in the mirror.

Ty Lee didn't waver from doing Mai's hair "I'm just focusing my Ora..." Ty answered.

"You've been doing that allot Ty dear..." Azula said, "You don't seem at all yourself anymore..."

Ty Lee checked own her hair now, making sure the soot on her face looked authentic, "Well just, we all had a turn at letting the Avatar slip through our fingers...and, I don't want that happening again if we ever do get a shot at that air pusher..."

Azula smiled, completely genuine or not, she liked this new Ty Lee...still, she seemed so...on edge.

"There's a good girl.." Azula said closing her fan shut. "Don't take too long on her..." she said walking around her, "You have me to do next and I don't like to be kept waiting..."

-THWACK-

Ty Lee jumped feeling a spank of Azula's fan on her tush and yelped. "You almost made her pull my pin out!" Mai groaned. Azula just playfully began fanning herself again going into another room.

Ty Lee regained her heart beat and forced herself not to look over her shoulder, she knew that Azula had done that to get a rise out of her. She'd been like this all week, trying to get her off guard. That's why Ty was hoping desperately that this time, she'd have a way to get to see Aang, stop this whole thing before it could start...explain everything to him. With what he'd given for her, even if he didn't forgive her, he deserved at least a face to face explanation...

* * *

Katara finished ringing her hair after washing it, she heard humming that for a while she couldn't believe was Toph passing by as she brought her head up. "Oh hello Toph! That's a lovely voice."

Toph just scoffed, "Yeah tell me another.." and kept walking. "Sor-ry!" Katara said rolling her shoulders, "Deny it all you want that sounded very lovely...in fact it sounds sort of familiar..."

Toph went over to the nest of pillows she had set up on the floor in that room and claimed her own, "Whatever.." she said flopping on it.

Katara went on, "Like...sand bending familiar..?" she said smiling slowly to herself.

"You hitting the cactus juice like your brother? It's just a tune that got stuck in my head from some place, stop making a big deal out of it!" Toph insisted.

"I'm not." Katara said wiping her hands off on her dress, "Just saying that I think your right."

"Right about what?..." Toph asked.

"Daiken seems like a very nice guy." Katara said walking towards the door again. "With a very coooool voice..." she mused before ducking a pillow headed for her face as she ran out the door.

The pillow made it's mark hitting Sokka instead who was just rounding the corner.

"HEY!" He exclaimed "What was that for! And who has a cool voice?"

"THAT was for people not minding their own darn business!" Toph huffed.

Sokka rubbed his nose and proceeded into the room "Girls..." he murmured. "Anyway I just wanted to let you guys know that I saw those Dai Li guys at the market today."

Katara rolled her eyes, "Great...this Long Feng wasn't just trying to scare us.."

Sokka groaned, "He's going to baby sit us like this the whole time we're here, doesn't think we'll just leave?"

"That's the idea genius.." Toph said folding her arms, "They want us to _decently_ exit, so as not to upset their precious ORDER.."

"Well I say we upset their precious order." Aang said coming into the room suddenly.

Sokka and Katara turned happily to see Aang. "Aang your back!" Katara said joyfully.

"Where's Daiken?" Toph asked.

"Oh don't worry..." Aang said smiling "...he'll be coming along."

Toph heard the tone in his voice, "You wanna elaborate twinkle toes?" Aang grinned wide backing up a step, "No reason!" he said. "Just that he saw something at the park that he thought was pretty and wanted to check it out and maybe play something about it on his Lute."

Katara grinned, "You know funny guy that Daiken; he's either as tough as they come or completely a softy."

Aang smiled, "Yeah like sand, our practices have been going great!"

Sokka interrupted him "Wait wait wait! You said something about messing up their established order?"

Aang snapped back into gear, "Right, I've just decided to clear some things. One, we are NOT going to be boxed in by these people or forced out, and Appa will NOT pay for it. I forgot that even though these people are forced to keep their heads down or their grins on, they're looking for someone or something to lift them out of it, I'm not going to be beaten so easily to let them think that they can't fight back!"

Katara smiled even more "I like the sound of this Aang." she said, "Guess your talk with Daiken showed some merit?" Aang smiled at her, "He reminded me that out there are people who are looking to see the smallest actions result in big shows of right and wrong, I'm not going to stop now, if it could change just one thing."

Sokka smiled too, "That's the spirit buddy!...Oh wait...spirit-buddy...Ah-ha ha ha ha!" he slapped his knee laughing at his own joke.

Aang looked at Katara, "And I wanted to thank you Katara.." Katara put her hair behind her ear. "For what Aang?" she replied.

"For just looking out for me like you have...ever since the ice berg. I've acted like a kid, and you've helped me stay on track." he said.

Sokka cut in "You ARE a kid."

Katara shushed him with her hand snapping her fingers together, "Aang you know we've been through to much for me to do otherwise for you!"

Aang smiled more, "Your right. There are good people all over katara, all over this city, maybe even in the Dai Li, they need hope to realize they don't have to be like that anymore..." Katara tilted her head.

"When you protected us all, and had to restrain yourself when handling...Ty Lee." Aang said, Katara's blood turned. "Thank you for doing that. She may have been changed when i left her but i'm sure she was confused but it could have resulted in us not stopping that drill. Still you didn't hurt her, and kept her from attacking again so..thank you."

Katara summoned every bit of her strength to set her jaw and not show emotion she was feeling at hearing that. "Of, of course." she said. Toph's ear twitched.

"There is good in her though, that's what I remember.." Aang went on, and "It deserves a fighting chance inside of everyone, so I'm going to keep trying, and give everyone regardless of nation to have that chance."

Sokka nodded, "Okay captain, what's the plan?"

Aang looked out the window, "I was thinking we'd disguise ourselves and check out the under belly of Ba Sing Se. Maybe have one of us pose as refuge every other day, then get information as much as we can. Daiken proposed before sparring that the street urchins and unsavory types often target new comers in hopes of finding a sucker."

Sokka nodded smiling, "Right, but they never got to us, cause we were royally escorted for saving the city!"

Katara smiled a big smile as she said, "Um excuse me I'll be right back, brilliant plan Aang!"

she scurried out of the room.

Aang sighed, that was a load off his shoulders. Yes, of course he knew there was good in Ty Lee, it wasn't wishful thinking. But at the same time he couldn't just tell everyone "Guess what, I'm still going to trust ty lee after all!" he had to ease the group into it, let them know that they'd have to get ready for change subliminally.

In the room upstairs Katara was holding her arms and breathing hard. "_Why did it feel like someone was gut bending her insides? She was keeping Aang safe, like he'd said. She was! Wait, what if he knew, what if this was some sneaky way of making her break? No no, don't be ridiculous, Aang would never do that, it's not in him..." _

"No no Aang would never do _what_?" Toph suddenly said from Katara's open door way.

Katara spun around yelping a little. Oh no, she'd thought out loud! But how much had she mumbled, all of it? Or just what Toph had heard?

"Uh..in him too..." Katara started. Toph put her hand up leaning off the door frame and shut the door with her foot. "Listen..." she said, "I could hear it all in your voice...you were lying."

Katara frowned, "I would never lie to Aang! What did I say to even lie about to him? That he's my friend that we've been through to much?"

Toph sighed, "See that was great, what I heard your voice shift about was when the subject of the Tee Tee girl came up."

"Ty-Lee." Katara corrected then shut her mouth. "Uh huh.." Toph went on, "You BARELY think about her...riiiiiight."

Katara said nothing but continued to frown.

"I helped you plug that hole..." Toph said, "I could hear her over the rush of the water and muck we bent up with her."

Katara shrugged, "So? That's lucky for you, my ears were still ringing from the battle."

Toph smirked catching her, "Your lying again..." she said.

Katara frowned deeper, "I came here to think, not be accused of lying to my friends!"

Toph shrugged, "Nope just get caught by them..." Katara was about to say something else but Toph continued, "And your GOING to be caught by Aang sooner or later and it's going to break his heart."

Katara swallowed her comment, hard.

"If you did hear her cries.." Toph went on, "...Why were you so intent to pretend that you didn't? I did and i still pushed her up; she'd attacked you guys."

Katara rubbed her head, "I know! Me too, that's the mode I was in, that's why I pushed her up the shoot and shut her out-" Katara stopped realizing she was playing into Toph's hands as the look on her face indicated she knew there wasn't truth in that.

"I don't have to stay here for this..." Katara said moving to go.

Toph caught her arm before Katara passed her, it wasn't harsh, but firm and iron.

"I know." Toph said, "I'm your friend, and i'm NOT telling Aang."

Katara just gave a look asking, pleading, and demanding that be true.

"I'm both your friends, for better or for worse, but Aang should hear about this, he's been up front with _you_ so far."

Katara turned around going back into the room and sat on her enormous pillow bed.

"I can't..." Katara groaned.

Toph listened to hear of Aang and sokka were listening then went over to her. "Why not? He said he understood it was for his safety, you meant that right?"

Katara sighed, "Yes, so why does that make me feel so guilty?"

Toph just stood with arms folded again, "You probably know why. But I'll guess."

Katara looked over at Toph, "She could hurt him, she could betray him, or us or...be a liability to us even if she is changed. She's a threat to all of us!"

Toph kept her unseeing eyes on Katara, "But...it's not all of us who feel threatened by her...you do."

Katara shifted, "I-I'm not...oh boy..." she put a pillow on her face.

Toph sat a next to her, "Alright yes..." Katara said, "I..I felt..threatened. Okay? See how petty and pathetic that sounds?"

Toph shrugged, "Not answering that."

Katara frowned, "Hey!"

"Because it's not relevant, let's keep on track." Toph said. "You honestly think that Aang will pretend like you don't exist for her?" Katara rolled on her side.

"All of this is my fault..." Katara said. "If I'd just...thought about it harder...thought about how wonderful it would be to actually reciprocate, I'd of known all these amazing things about Aang that I do now then.. and he wouldn't have gotten captured or..."

Toph cut in, "Or met her...?"

Katara covered her face.

"I feel like we've been here before..." Toph said. "I want you to be honest with me, are you actually pretending to like Aang more then you actually do?"

Katara turned to face Toph upset again, "I've if anything cared and loved Aang more then anything since I let him know how I felt." she said.

Toph shook her head, "You care for him yes...protect him...yes, even mother him, but your doing exactly what the people in this city and my parents did, love him to pieces...love him right out of the truth...love him into a false cage."

Katara sat up, "So i'm supposed to let Aang go Ga-ga's for her and trust nothing bad'll happen to him?"

"It's, precautionary love..." Toph said, "It's some of the worst kind that chalks down to pandering...and it'll hurt Aang when he finds out, and you when you realize how your trying to convince yourself it's real just to protect him."

"I do love Aang.." Katara insisted. "I don't care what you sense in my voice, or say you do. But I am not losing Aang to another misadventure that nearly took him from all of us!" she said and got up from the bed and left the room.

* * *

Brago got off of his Ostrich Horse and pulled it the rest of the way by it's reigns along side Ty Lee. He thought for a second, looked over at a family rubbing their feet as they waited in line to get into the great wall.

He walked over to them, "Here.." he said. "Take it."

Ty Lee was surprised, the family looked wide eyed, "Oh no we couldn't!..." Brago shook his head. "Please, it's something to keep you off your feet the rest of the way, I'll barter another one off something I grow."

The family thanked him, "Thank you so much...?"

Brago nodded back to them, "Desch...Desch is my name. And this is my cousin Kato."

Ty Lee smiled and waved at them.

"NEXT" came the officer at the entrance to Ba Sing Se. Here we went...he was almost inside, and his cover was working great so far.

* * *

Earlier

Daiken strolled with Aang further until something caught his eye. "Um Aang..why don't you go on home, I'm going to play something in the park."

Aang tilted his head, "You sure Sifu sandman?" he asked.

Daiken nodded, "Yes, I'd rather do it now while it's in my head." Aang nodded, "Okay, thanks for the pep talk! I"ll meet you back there!"

And with that Aang ran off before using his air bubble to ride on the rest of the way.

Daiken gave an extra 10 seconds before turning around himself to march on into the garden park. He'd thought he'd for sure seen...but he had to be certain...

His pace slowed as he approached the hill and waited by a tree, with petals falling from it like snow. Ahead of him on a hill as the sun set was a portly elderly man who he recognized all too well.

He was singing the last of a song before a portable shrine with two memorial stick's lit next to the picture of the fallen face.

"Leaves from the vine, falling so slow...Like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the poem."  
"Little soldier boy...Come marching home...*Sniff* ..Brave soldier boy...Comes marching ho-o..*cries*..."


	48. Chapter 48

HELLO FAITHFUL READERS

I have heard your plea's for Ty Lee and Aang to get back together sooner, and realize this has been a very long period of absence between the two who this fan-pairing is even about.

After strumming it through my head for a while, I've come up with a way for them to meet each other sooner on in the story(much sooner) and it still make sense, and have a fulfilling climax.

HOWEVER it will mean that I will have to go back and revise something in the previous chapter.

If I were to do this would it be okay with you?


	49. Chapter 49

Avatar the Last Air Bender: Alterations

_** About a Bison**_

Iroh trudged into the little tea shop, his satchel of things on his back, the first thing he saw coming in was Zuko.

"Oh, Nephew..." he said putting a smile on his face.

"...Hi Uncle..." Zuko said with an emotionless face..but not an emotionless tone.

"Sorry my break went over, I suppose I'm older then I convince myself I am..." Iroh said keeping the smile on. Zuko's face didn't change, had he followed him?

Suddenly a man stood up from his table, he had a long green and gold laced robe, the hand he still held his tea cup in had two rings of considerable size and value, one gold and emerald and the other pearl.

"So this is the famous tea man of Ba Sing Se, I was just talking to your nephew, quite the hero I've heard tell." the man said in a booming pleasant voice.

"Oh he makes me proud every day." Iroh said putting his pack down in the corner to trade it for his apron.

Zuko hid his scoffing at that. As if, what had he done that possibly met his uncles deluded criteria for being proud about...or what could have have done good enough in his life for it...

"Well if I may say so..." The man continued, "This is a genius brew you make. I hope Pau pays you well."

"Well making Tea is it's own reward." Iroh said humbly. Zuko rolled his eyes at that.

"I admire that love for ones talent, but it doesn't have to be the only reward..." the man replied. Just then Old man Pau, the Tea shop owner came out from the back, his face fell when he saw the richly dressed man standing in front of Iroh.

"Let me introduce myself, my name is Wu Teng, and I can't help but get the impression that both you and your nephew's talents are stifled here, and you've a whole city buzzing about how serine you make your tea feel. How would you like your OWN tea shop?"

"My-my own tea shop...?" Iroh said stuttering at first, he turned to look at his nephew, if anything for excitement rather then actually looking for a reaction for him for he got none and turned his attention back to Mr. Wu Teng.

"That would be a dream come true!" he exclaimed.

Pau screeched in front of Iroh as if there were wheels on his sandals, "Now now now wait a second, you can't poach my tea maker!"

Mr. Wu Teng simply looked passed Pau as he was much taller then him, keeping eye contact with Iroh as he continued, "You'd have your own apartment on the upper ring district, you could do with it whatever you like."

Pau turned around panic stricken to Iroh, "Uh..I, I'll make you assistant manager! No no! SENIOR Assistant manager..!" he pleaded. Iroh began strumming his beard thinking it over.

"Senior...executive assistant manager?..." Pau added. Iroh finally spoke up "Can I NAME the shop...?" he said seriously as if it was a pivotal point.

"Oh course!" Wu Teng said grinning. Iroh undid his apron without another word and set it on the table. Pau took the apron and folded it like flag, dejected and walked slowly to the back of the store.

Iroh glanced at his former employer and then back at Mr. Wu Teng, "So tell me can I enlist an additional employee?" The rich man stroked his beard with his ringed fingers. "Well, I see no reason why not. Is it essential?"

Iroh turned all the way to look at Mr. Pau, "After giving us lodging and a job on our first day here...I would say so. If he is willing that is.."

Pau turned around slowly. "Really?...The upper district..me?" Iroh grinned "Kindness should always beget kindness."

Pau grinned casting off his own tea makers cap, "Oh blessings on your ancestors!" he said joyfully and ran into the back.

Iroh turned again to Zuko, "You see Nephew? Life can change so quickly for the better!"

Zuko just balled the piece of paper in his hand behind his back even more, "Yeah...peachy.." he said and walked out the back door of the shop.

Iroh tilted his head, had he found out where he had walked too? Or who he had met while paying his respects to Lu Ten?...If he knew the Sandbender was in Ba Sing Se, then he knew then that the Avatar was in that very city, something Daiken had thankfully warned Iroh about in terms of vicinity.

Zuko climbed to the top of the roof of the tea shop, un-balling the scroll of paper in his hand that he had been hiding. He didn't want his uncle seeing the old side of him again, secretly he knew how much he hated it, but he couldn't quell the burning any longer.

The sight of this, poster, signed and written by the AVATAR himself, just brought back everything he was pretending wasn't there. All the pain, all the failure, all the rage and embarrassment of another thing out of his reach from his birth fathers love to his honor amongst his people an his own self respect. Now it was before him again, dangling like a carrot in front of him teasing him, taunting him. But the playing field was different, he had no legions to command here, no friends, not even his uncle would help him he knew; after all he wasn't finished with his "re-rehabilitation."

He would have to do this on his own...but first he had to get rid of these _Lost Bison_ posters. Lord knew what his uncle would do if he saw them. But right as he was about to scale back down the roof, he saw some Dai Li officers taking them down off of flag posts and pillars. Why where they doing his work for him? This city should be worshiping the Avatar for what he'd done for their pathetic Kingdom, why would they be acting so secretive about this? He sunk down lower so as not to be noticed from the street and continued to watch the dark clad officers.

As he saw the look on one of their faces, he saw an expression he recognized very well: They were hiding something, they knew something about these posters or about the Bison, something that they didn't want other citizens knowing. It made sense they were the quote unquote secret police for the city that even the regular constables and sheriffs had to answer to, like the captains back home in the fire nation, only...more pretense, more beating about the bush, they actually wanted the citizens acting like they didn't exist, it was imbecilic. Well, tonight, he was going to find out just what they knew about this "pet of the Avatar's."

Suddenly his poster slipped from his grasped with a burst of wind, he attempted to re-grab it in mid air but it was already dancing away out of his hand...by that blasted wind, as if the Avatar was somehow toying with him...

* * *

South West Lower Ring District

Brago stuffed the bedding's with hay that he had bought, "Well it's no royal chamber but..." he began. Ty Lee cut him off, "Oh don't worry. Circus girl remember? Sleeping on the ground is nothing new for me."

Ty Lee was busy walking around their less then spacious room on her hands. She quickly hopped the right way around to be eye to eye to the kneeling Brago, he was putting his large farming scythe away now.

"But thanks anyway." she smiled, "..that was very sweet what you did at the wall."

Brago cocked an eyebrow trying to remember, then he did, "Oh! Right. That seemed to be the best way to gain a good outlook among the other travelers and the ticket agent." he explained away.

"Mhm." Ty Lee said summer-salting backwards towards the window sill, and sat on it. "Explain it away with protocol, I think that was just a sweet thing you had to do."

Brago shrugged, "If its both useful to our ruse and..."sweet" at the same time I see no harm I suppose."

"So..." Ty Lee said, "What do you think about all this...really?" she asked. "Think we can pull this off?"

Brago stood and dusted his tunic off, "I think we can..and we must, if this goes South, you and me both could be in an Earth Kingdom dungeon for a very LONG time...and be pumped for information like you wouldn't imagine."

"How do you know that?" Ty Lee asked, "Have you ever been in one?" she asked genuinely curious since he seemed to say this with such conviction.

"It's just what we would do if the roles were reversed, and some of them were in our nation." He answered simply.

"Oh...right.." Ty Lee nodded.

"So...in the event that we do see the Avatar here in the city, you have to be on your guard. The City reveres him here...and after that defeat of our Drill, probably as much as their own Earth King. He has all the allies he could want and only us who mean to take him in. If he recognizes you, that could be the end for us..."

Ty Lee nodded, "That's why I'm looking like a ugly peasant." she giggled, "I'm not even going to mention my Aura around here!"

Brago rolled his eyes slightly shaking his head with a grin. Ty Lee sighed, thankful he was still buying her overly batty act, she didn't need him thinking she was scheming to find the Aang as soon as possible. This was so so gloriously stupid, and brilliant, and dangerous for her, and for her friends. Azula and Mai would be arriving in the city under the pretense of having information for the Earth King, and in just a matter of days. She was trapped in this great city, away from any friendly armies with a friend of hers who could be put in a dungeon if she fowled this up...heck she could be put in a dungeon if she fowled this up.

She had to somehow find Aang first, out of all his friends who she was sure didn't trust her, try to get him to listen to her...and hopefully forgive her, and on top of that beg that he work out a way so that her friends would be allowed to leave, or prevented from entering the wall before anything could happen.

Either way what she was doing was pure TREASON. Not that aiding and embedding the Avatar's escape wasn't treasonous enough, but this was on a far more...blatant scale. This was an enemy nation...an arch rival nation of her own, who she would be aiding in the the victory of...against her own. What's more it was her friends directly she'd be betraying...

This felt too heavy right now to even think about, no matter which way she went with this, she'd either be helping to bring this Kingdom down and the Avatar with it; betray him. Or her own nation by foiling the Fire Lords General Daughter's plan to take it over, and betray those who she called her friends since she was 5.

"Did you have any family with you?" Brago asked suddenly.

Ty Lee snapped out of her train of thought, and thankful for it. "Uh with me where?" she asked.

"The Circus, how did that pan out with your family?" he asked.

"Ah..." Ty Lee said. "Well...they didn't really, approve at all." she said. Brago just nodded. "Parents wanting your life lived for you or through you?" he asked.

Ty Lee shook her head, "Kind of but not really, they have to acknowledge you for that to happen right?"

Brago put a hand up "I'm sorry to bring up something you'd rather not talk about.." he said.

Ty Lee leaned back out the window a little over looking the city, even though it was the slums, they had a clear view of the upper district; the way it was built it looked like ascending closer and closer to heaven the higher you got.

"It's alright, thank you though..." Ty Lee answered sticking her head back in. Brago hid his swords amongst his things and along with them, a scroll that she remembered him looking over before, it bore his families crest on it.

"Is that the news from your family?" Ty Lee asked. Brago just held it more out of view, putting it away faster.

"It's old mail, I just forgot I packed it.." he said.

"I saw Mai talking to you about it..." Ty Lee pressed. She wasn't attempting to be a pest, but she did want these questions to stop raining on her for a change.

Brago sighed and sat on his make shift cot. "She told you?" He asked.

Ty Lee shook her head, "Told me what?"

Brago put the back of his head against the wall, "Of course, silly of me to think she would."

Ty Lee bit her lip. "Can I ask you something...?"

Brago didn't open his eyes, "Depends.."

"Do you like Azula..?" she asked.

"No!...rather, no..." He said, opening his eyes a little then closing them. Ty nodded, she could tell Azula was keen on Brago but wasn't sure if in his weird mysterious "guy" way he liked her back too.

She ventured further. "Do you...still...like Mai." she asked.

Brago didn't answer.

"I think..." she went on sighing. "I think she still likes you.."

Brago glanced up, "That hardly matters now I think..." he said.

Ty Lee rocked her shoulders back and forth, "Why's that...?"

Brago resumed his silence, but after a while replied: "I can tell she has allot to deal with now, I can also tell she's not quite over...well Azula's _special_ brother.."

Ty Lee slipped off the sill, "I'm sure him and his Uncle were just doing what they thought was best for them...I mean with the Fire Lords orders to hide them away in some prison like boiling rock.."

Brago scoffed that off, "It's not even that, I mean...that he would do that to her.."

"You mean Mai?" Ty Lee asked.

"Sorry, yes, Mai.." Brago corrected himself, "Waste his life like that chasing some fairy tale like that for something so futile..."

Ty Lee held her arms, "The Avatar's real though, obviously, so...not that much of a fairy tale."

"No, he's been chasing something even more mythical; a royal pat on the head from the Fire Lord.." Brago said staring at the ceiling.

Ty Lee was honestly not expecting an answer like that. Everyone knew Zuko could be both obsessive and compulsive but with what had happened to him, and at so young, and by his own father, and just who his father was...not many could argue there was reason for it.

"That's not fair I think..." Ty Lee eased into it.

"Oh it never is..." Brago said, "I'm not saying it is, I'm not saying he has it easy. I'm saying that he's allowed what was done to him infect him like some kind of leper and push him away from those that legitimately do care for him. Instead he lives in a meaningless fantasy world where no one cares about him unless he pulls a magic lever for his Father..."

Ty didn't say anything. Brago went on,

"..People like Lu Ten, or his Father- his OWN Uncle who from what our sources say, was the major factor of why he escaped Azula. Or I don't know, people like his own girlfriend Mai. _*groan*_ Do you seriously believe he's given up searching for that Avatar? He's going to get himself killed getting into this city to find him...and its going to kill Mai when it does...and he's to stupid to see it..." Brago said closing his now frowning eyes again.

Ty Lee finally spoke up, "So you do...like Mai still."

Brago sighed a groan and flopped on his side on the cot. "More now then I thought I ever could after meeting her for so short a time.." Brago said. "But what do I have for her? I'm a Lieutenant Marshall, not Prince or even a dignitary; posted out here in a colony of an Enemy Nation."

"I'm not sure Mai would care too much about that..." Ty Lee said.

"No she wouldn't..." Brago sighed, "But still I want to give her something better, something to offer her more then.._that_, I think she deserves it."

Ty Lee smiled a bit, "That's why you want this so badly, if it goes well you get promoted."

"It's a nice thought..." Brago admitted, "But like I said, I can't see it going anywhere..."

Ty Lee rolled her eyes, "Look...Lieutenant Marshall...person! Just stop being a tactician and plotting out what the answer could be and could not be, your not going to know until you try! I don't know what she's thinking about this, no, but neither do you, not for sure! I don't think you can really know what answer you'll get unless your put to it..." she said trailing off, thinking of Aang more and more she got on the subject.

Brago sighed, "Well alright Miss ...Kato, what's your story? What do you get out of bringing the Avatar in?"

Ty Lee blinked at first, remembering Kato was her fake name. "Well let me see..." she started, "When I capture him...I'm going to, well...I need to get some things off my chest. They've been hanging on me for the worst, and I need them said back right in his face...I need to tell him how right or wrong he was about me..." she said.

Brago nodded a bit, "Ah so its personal...did he demean you in anyway?"

Ty shook her head, "No he just, said allot of things...about me as a person, confusing things, but not i'm not confused anymore, and...I want him to know that people can't manipulate me based on certain things anymore, I want him to know what's not hanging over me any longer.."

She thought fast knowing that she would stray to far into the truth to make Brago wonder if she didn't stop. "Also, my family...I want them to...well notice me, at all again. Know that they have a daughter...famous for something, who was able to do something important whether they think its right or not..."

Brago chuckled, "Well bringing in the pledged villain spirit of our Nation, I assure you they'll think its very right, if they've any ounce of patriotism in them, or even common sense."

Ty Lee bit her lip, it was harder for her to get into this without completely lying or completely telling the truth so she thought she'd stop there.

"And how about you?" she asked deflecting it back to Brago, "You hoping to make some family back home proud?"

Brago smiled a bit, "Yeah...some."

"Your step sister...?" Ty Lee guessed.

Brago nodded, "She's grown up so fast...she's come along so well as a young lady. And without me to help her, I knew she could do it but at the same time I couldn't, you know?"

Ty Lee smiled, "She'll be beaming when she sees you come home Mr. Lieutenant Marshall, I mean...Mr. General..sir." She saluted and bowed.

Brago laughed at that, "General? Ha! I'd have to conquer Ba Sing Se and all the other Tribes on the globe single handed to get General that fast!"

Suddenly a breeze blew through the open window of their apartment, and along with it, a sheet of long crumpled paper. The wind also consequently blew their hay everywhere.

Ty Lee caught the paper amidst the blizzard storm of hay, and examined it, and as she did her eyes doubled in size.

Brago stood up seeing what he thought he saw.

"The Avatar, where he lives, where he can be found...Ty Lee this is perfect!" he said excitedly.

Ty Lee bit her lip, "So...what do we do? Wait for Azula and Mai?"

Brago strummed his chin, "That would be the obvious thing to do but...who knows what information they could be divulging to the Earth Kingdom, and he's so unsuspecting now..."

Ty Lee did her best not to act like she was acting, which proved futile. It was a good thing Brago's head was turned.

"We're finding this Bison, and by relation finding the Avatar..." Brago said.

However, while they were saying this, neither Ty nor Brago noticed a figure who could stick to walls skulking backwards away from their window, so swiftly they could not see the tassel of Dai Li's hat.

* * *

Katara, Aang and Sokka were playing a game of Zing Guam, it was a simple game of guessing and deciete, one that could hold your attention if you were not especially excitable. So naturally, Aang had already been bored for what felt like ages.

"Why don't we go see if anyones responded about Appa, or the flyers!" Aang said sitting up.

"We just got back from doing that." Katara said tugging his sleeve down, "You just need to be patient." Aang sighed but sat down smiling at Katara's tug, she smiled back, then noticed Toph shaking her head at her as she walked into the room.

_Oh great she can hear me smiling at him now?_ Katara thought huffily. She did NOT want to be reminded of that awkward talk she'd had with Toph a ways back.

Suddenly there was knock at the door.

Aang shot right up like a jack in the box again, "Wow your right about that patience stuff Katara!" He turned on his heals and made a bee line for the door, but Daiken was already glancing out the window.

"I do not believe this is news of your Bison, Avatar..." he said irritably. But the door had already been swung open zealously...to reveal none other than the grinning Joo Dee.

"Joo Dee?!" Aang said breathing out the name dripping with disappointment.

"Hello Avatar." she said bowing mechanically.

"What is it you want?" Daiken asked coming to the doorway.

"I am here about your consistent flyers regarding your bison." Joo Dee said, her grin not leaving her face.

Toph was tired of her playing everything off cool, she switched it up, "I didn't think I'd see you again after that Bears birthday party."

Sokka's eyes lit up, "That's right! What happened to you, did the Dai Li punish you?"

"Were you put in Jail?" Katara chimed in.

Joo Doo put her hand over her heart smiling, "Jail? Oh of course not, the Dai Li are the noble protectors of our city."

Aang didn't let it go, "But you went missing!"

Joo Doo shook her head, "I merely took a vacation to the fair Lake Laogui, and I feel much better."

"But you were switched out with another woman who said that SHE Was Joo Dee!" Katara said.

Joo Dee tilted her head like she was genuinely confused, still smiling of course. "But...I'M Joo Dee..?" she said.

Daiken's eyes narrowed a bit, and Toph's ears twitched.

Joo Doo reached into her robe and produced one of the Missing Appa Flyers, "Regarding your bison, it is against city regulation to post un-registered flyers or papers throughout the wall."

"We don't have time to wait for clearance..." Aang said, with a definite attempt to keep his voice even, "We need to get what information about Appa up now!"

Joo Dee just continued to answer in her echoing way as if she had not heard a word Aang had said, "It is absolutely forbidden to put up more posters I am afrai-"

Aang suddenly slammed his foot making a loud thud that did not require earth bending to make.

"ENOUGH! I'm Tired of this nonsense! I'm tired of you telling me to wait for your bosses to give us permission!"

Joo Dee for the first time looked legitimately worried, "Please..." she said backing up, "Don't make such a fuss, not so loud!"

But Aang was uncorked, "We are FINDING my Bison, and we are GETTING him back whether you, or the Dai Li, or your city or your king, or his bear like it or not!" and with that he slammed the door in her face.

Aang just stood there with his shoulders heaving after that. Sokka patted him on the back, "Why ta go buddy!" he cheered.

Daiken however leaned towards the window glancing at Joo Dee, he saw her turning around quickly putting her hand over her mouth. As she did he saw a shape on her neck that was quickly covered by her long hair again. His eyes widened.

Joo Dee scurried back into the carriage that brought her to the Avatar's home and it sped off at her unction.

He then glanced up at the roofs across the street and saw shapes he knew were to large to be birds disappear behind the roof shackles.

"What'd you see?" Toph asked.

Daiken frowned deeper, "Enough to let me know my suspicions were justified..."

"What suspicions..." Aang and Katara asked at once.

"That woman was fronting..." Daiken said.

"Well thats a no brainer.." Katara huffed.

Toph cut in, "He means that even for her obvious act, she was desperately trying to cover something up. I know, I heard it i'm guessing at the same Daiken saw it."

"Cover something up, about Appa?" Aang said.

"No." Daiken replied, "About herself, she was nearing a point that would relieve her of her cool, she had to flail to get her bearings back to be the Joo Dee we know and love... did you not see it?"

"Yeah..." Sokka said, "She was acting a little peculiar..."

"And not just that.." Daiken went on.

"That woman had a mark on the back of her neck...a mark I remember well. It's a scar, made from a Sea-Vulture brand."

The room went still.

"Sea Vulture..." Katara said.

"That means..." Aang continued.

Daiken finished, "Yes...it means that I understand why there are more then one Joo Dee in this city, and where they all come from.."

* * *

Dai Li HQ

Long Feng sat in his study once again, illuminated by the green flame from his fire place. Before him was Joo Dee on her knees in front of him, but her face was no longer the smiling face with a plastered emotion stuck on it, it was unnerved and looked like it was at the point of tears.

"Joo Dee..." Long Feng finally said in a calm, un-raised voice, but still it chilled Joo Dee to the bone, making her shutter and lower her head more.

"M-my lord..." she stammered.

"Joo Dee, I am very disappointed.." he went on, "In your dealings with the Avatar."

Joo Dee all but sobbed, "Sir I'm sorry, I shall try to do better but this...I-I just can't keep doing this..."

Long Feng leaned forward, "You...can't?" he said.

Joo Dee's eyes grew, "NO! No I meant-"

Long Feng sat up more, "You'll TRY?" Joo Dee's face was terror ridden now, she looked to the Dai Li agents standing at the door, emotionless like stones.

"No! No no sir! I shall do better, I'll- ..."

"Joo Dee..." Long Feng suddenly stood up, making her shrink down again bowing, her face to the floor wimpering.

"Joo Dee...The Earth King invites you to Lake Laogui..." he said in a rhythmic almost hypnotic tone, like someone reciting a Hiku.

Suddenly Joo Dee's quivering stopped, as if the words were a magic spell. Slowly she sat straight up again, her eyes still a little wet but now perfectly relaxed...and abnormally dilated.

"I humbly accept the Earth King's offer..." she said as Long Feng came over to her, "Good.." Long Feng said smiling.

"You know..." he said stopping right in front of her, "Of all the Joo Dee's you were the one I have never had to worry about till now...you do realize that?"

Joo Dee just smiled in her place. "Of course sir." she replied.

"It disappoints me..Joo Dee, to see you like this, knowing you can do so much better..." he said re-fixing her hair from in front of her face. She scarcely even blinked letting it happen.

"So from now on, there will be no more problems...right?" Long Feng asked.

"Of course sir." she said back.

"Mhm.." Long Feng suddenly kissed Joo Dee, her automatically kissing him back. He fixed the last of her hair behind her ear and stood her up holding her by the hand.

"Now run along..." he said dusting himself off, "You have quite the journey..." Joo Dee bowed and walked stiffly out of the room, grinning...only this time an actual tear did fall.

Long Feng glared at the fire place now. "Those meddling imps..." Long Feng said. "This has gotten out of hand, if the Avatar persists in looking for his Bison it could upset the delicate balance we'd hoped to create here.." he said poking the fire place with a poker. Doing so made the once constant and repetitive flow of the flame change into a completely new pattern but only by a small margin.

"Should we take care of him?" One of the Dai Li officers in the room asked. "No..." Long Feng said, at this point people in the city will notice to drastically if we face him directly, besides we don't know how dangerous he is. And we do NOT want to lose control of the Earth King. I believe we've a way that this can still be resolved... quietly."

* * *

Fishing town outside Ba Sing Se.

Charred bodies of fire nation and villagers floated down the river. Chared bodies that had been baked from the inside out. On the docks of one of the houses, stood Jashiek, he finished eating the remaining meat off a cooked fish and threw it nonchalantly into the river with the corpses.

As the sun came out he returned his hood over his face again, glancing up at the cliffs the sun was peaking behind .

"So Daughter of the Fire Lord...round two..."

* * *

Zuko began hurriedly packing his gear into a bag for the mission that night, he tied the string tight to look like his Laundry and headed out of his room. Across the hall kneeling by a table with ink and paper was of course, Iroh.

"Nephew..." Iroh said calling him back. Zuko shut his eyes, and turned around. "Uncle..." he said, awaiting the inevitable lecture about him.

"I'm trying to come up with new names for our Tea Shop!" Iroh said instead. "Isn't this exciting?"

Zuko just huffed out, "Deliriously."

He was about to turn to go again when Iroh said, "So you've noticed the lost pets there are now a'days?" Zuko froze, here it came.

"Have you known?" he asked not turning around this time.

Iroh sighed, "Zuko, this is our chance at a better life for us..."

"A better life for YOU!" Zuko said turning around finally, "Have you ever even thought that maybe i want a better life than serving tea?"

Iroh was unshaken, as ever, by Zuko's outburst, but simply said, "If that is how you choose to look at it, a life serving. But you need not fight off any chance of a life of peace, and prosperity. You think perhaps this life is not for you, fine then, but the life you are exchanging it for, is even less your own life then that of serving tea."

Those words did hit Zuko but he played it off.

Iroh went on, "What is it **_you_ **truly want for yourself Zuko.."

Zuko shut his eyes, "I want...I want. My Destiny..." he finally said. And the only way he'd get it was by catching the Avatar... he thought to himself. Still circular reasoning, this was going nowhere.

Iroh called after Zuko as he headed again for the door, "What that means is up to you Zuko, not your fa-"

The door slammed before he could finish his sentence.

* * *

Aang and his group ran through the city streets, Momo zipping above their heads.

"Are you sure about this Daiken?" Katara said, scanning the streets for any trace of anyone dressed in the garb of a Joo Dee guide.

"It would the greatest of coincidences if it were merely a birthmark..." Daiken said stopping at where the wagon wheel marks in the road mixed with the tread marks of other carriages.

Sokka rubbed his head, "I don't believe it..I don't even get it, why would she have that mark is she part of their group?"

"No I don't think he's saying she's a slave runner.." Toph said getting low to the ground.

She felt the ground next to him, then stood, "He's saying Sokka, that she IS a slave..."

"But she's got to be...20, 21?" Sokka stammered.

"All adults were once children Sokka..." Daiken said, "Perhaps she was raised in the service of the Dai Li, their personal mouth pieces..." he stood up again, "This way.."

The group ran further through out the village.

Suddenly Katara stopped herself, "What the-..." she doubled back to look around a corner.

"Did you see something?" Aang asked coming next to her. Katara peered through the busy crowd crossing the street, scanning for who she thought she saw. "No...No it was no one, come on lets keep looking for Joo Dee."

* * *

Around that very corner, tightening her hood over her face, was Ty Lee looking up at Brago.

"Did you see anything?" Brago asked her,

"I'm not sure..." Ty Lee said, "I thought I saw someone but when I checked to see, the crowd crossed the street and got in the way."

"Because I'm fairly sure we're being followed..." Brago cautioned.

Ty Lee pulled her hood down lower, Brago took her arm pulling her on, "Just keep acting naturally..." he said steadily.

The two continued through the streets until he saw an opportune moment where an ostrich horse drawn wagon was coming up and was about to pass an open alley.

"Wait for it..." Brago said. The carriage passed. "Now!" Brago signaled and pulled himself and Ty Lee into the Alley.

They remained still, disguising themselves in the shadows, Ty Lee hoisting herself up and bracing herself against the two walls in a place that was hidden from sight.

They saw a man dressed in black and green with a green tasseled hat pass by looking both ways.

After waiting a little longer, Brago and Ty Lee walked out the other side of the Alley. "Where that a guard?" Ty Lee asked.

"More like a police man I'm guessing..." Brago said. "He wasn't military by his dress. But he was in how he carried himself..."

"Was he following US though?" Ty Lee asked.

Before she could be answered she bumped into somebody.

"Hey be careful!" The young man said. He had long shaggy hair draped over his eyes, and reed sticking out of his mouth. He held a scroll in his hand.

Brago's eyes grew and immediately ducked his face down from him.

"Oh sorry miss..." the young man said realizing Ty Lee was a girl.

"That's fine." Ty Lee said curtsying. Brago kept his face towards the wall, making a fist.

"If you'll excuse me I'm late for work..." he hurried off on down the road.

"What is it?" Ty Lee asked glancing at Brago.

"That was that rebel JET..." Brago said.

"Oh HE was Jet?" Ty Lee said surprised, she didn't expect him to be that cute.

"We should be more careful..." Brago went on, "I don't know how many more of his ilk will see us and report my face on sight..."

"So where to now?" Ty Lee asked.

"We're going to visit the upper district see what we can find out about any transactions..." Brago said.

Ty Lee tilted her head, "But wouldn't it be better to see what the under belly of the city has to say about a stolen animal?"

Brago shook his head, "They revere the Avatar here to much to keep something like that from him, my guess is that with a power structure this established, the city's officials have his beast in captivity as leverage to guarantee his help with their war against us."

Ty Lee blinked, she hadn't even considered that.

"That's not what our ruler would do..." she said.

Brago agreed, "No, he'd just right out threaten the Avatar with the bison present likely as not."

Ty and Brago ran off down another ally after that. All the while several cloaked figures peered from around corners at them leaving.

* * *

The Avatar and his gang rounded another corner, there they saw a carriage depot, no traces of anything remotely royal.

"They switched wagons?" Sokka said, "Who's that thorough?"

"People that obsessed about having a squeaky clean machine as opposed to free people..." Toph said.

"Katara..?" came a familiar voice.

The group turned to see none other then the wild haired Jet with that same reed protruding from his smirking lips.

"Jet?!" They all said at once.

"Surprised to see me?" he said in his suave way.

"Not _pleasantly _surprised..." Toph murmured.

"What do you WANT Jet?" Katara said folding her arms.

"To help." he said dropping his smirk to exchange it for a more serious face.

"Help how?" Aang said warily

Jet sighed before answering: "Your bison, I think I know how to find him..."

"You do?!" Aang said, wishing he hadn't sounded so overjoyed.

"How do we know we can trust you again..." Katara said narrowing her eyes.

"Look..." Jet said, "I know I've screwed up, I picked a fight with a random citizen for thinking their Fire Nation, I don't even have the Gang now! I was too out of control, but I've changed. I must've been hit on the head hard enough for it to get through to me."

"Well if it isn't we'll be glad to hit a bit harder.." Katara said wirely.

"Will you at LEAST hear me out?" Jet said.

"He isn't lying.." Toph said standing back up, for she had been feeling the ground. "His heart beats normal..."

"You can do that?..." Daiken said intrigued, Toph smirked.

"Well alright, whats this lead you have on Appa?" Aang said.

"Thank you.." Jet replied, "And to answer your question, I work near this old building thats used for...I think Yak Moose, and I heard the stablemen saying how odd it was that such a big white creature be kept there."

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck, "Is that enough to go on? I mean we are sort of looking for the Joo Dee lady and-"

"Joo Dee?" Jet said blinking.

"Nevermind that.." Aang said, "It's worth a shot if it brings us closer to Appa."

"Also!" Jet added, "I'm pretty sure I heard a noise that he makes from the place I'm talking about."

"LEAD THE WAY!" Aang said without another word.

Soon Aang and his friends arrived at the stable Jet had described, it was considerably spacious, two Appa's would've had plenty of room here. Only, there was no Appa here, just hay strewn everywhere.

"It's empty..." Sokka said.

Daiken and Toph scurried around the room seeing what they could see or sense that hinted of the Sky Bison.

Jet rubbed his chin "It was this building, I know it!" he said.

Katara was about to make a remark when suddenly Toph piped up "APPA WAS HERE!" and produced a clump of unmistakable white fur.

"Ah, so you know that big ol' fur ball..." came an old cratchety voice.

The gang turned around to see an elder man sweeping the floors of the stable.

"A sky bison? Where did they take him? WHO took him?" Aang asked hurriedly.

"Good riddance too, I've been sweeping up fur and various...er...droppings for days..."

"WHERE!" Aang insisted.

"Eh..you'd have to ask my new manager..." he said. "But I heard that some rich sort bought him up, took him to whale tale Island...must've been for the meat on him.."

Aang frowned, "No. That is NOT happening. Sokka, where is Whale Tale Island?"

Sokka's voice wasn't a cheerful one, "Far...incredibly far..." he sighed. "It's closer to where me and Katara live near the South Pole. It'd take weeks maybe more to get there without Appa...too...find Appa..." he shook his head seeing his paradox.

"If that's what it takes..." Aang said firmly.

"Wait who's your manager you spoke of?" Daiken asked.

"Oh he's in the shop...it's across the street." The old man chimed, "I wish I could galevant like you young'ns off to different places, I ain't had no vacation in years...there's no rest for ol' Sweepy..."

The Gang hurried outside. "We should get a move on if we wanna make it to the coast on foot...AND find a boat out of here..." Sokka said.

"So we're actually LEAVING Ba Sing Se?" Toph said excitedly.

"I can come with you!" Jet said, "I can help!"

Katara put her hand up, "Listen, you have helped, I mean that, but we're fine now, you can consider your debt repaid, live your new life here."

Aang spoke up suddenly, "No Katara, its okay, if he wants to exercise his debt to us by helping us find Appa, every pair of hands and eyes will count."

Katara was taken a little aback that Aang had contrasted her like that. It wasn't abrasive, but still it shocked her.

"Jet! Jet we found you!" came a voice from behind them.

They turned to see none other then SmellerBee and Longshot coming around a corner towards them.

"I thought you said you lost your gang!" Katara said suspiciously.

"They did!" Jet said sounding extremely confused. Smellerbee hugged Jet nearly knocking him over from the force.

"We were so worried about you when we heard you weren't at the police station!" she exclaimed.

"Police station?" Jet said raising a brow.

"You were taken by the Dai Li." Smellerbee said, confused as to why Jet was acting like he didn't know.

"The Dai Li?!" everyone said at once.

"What? That's ridiculous..." Jet protested, "I've been living peacefully hear in the Earth Kingdom, you guys left me to find your own way!"

"Jet.." SmellerBee said, "What are you saying, we saw them drag you off! Oh, we should have done something to stop them!"

Jet shook his head running his hands through his hair, "This is a mistake, I was never dragged off by anyone!"

Toph felt the ground again as they argued, "They're both telling the truth..." she said baffled.

"But thats impossible!" Katara said.

"Unless!" Sokka cut in, "They both think they're telling the truth. And if the Dai Li is as manipulative as we've come to understand, Jet may have been brain washed!"

"Brain washed?!" Jet scoffed, even Katara found this hard to believe.

Daiken narrowed his eyes., "It would explain the way that Joo Dee behaves...as if she she is a pull string toy, walking due to mechanics and not her free will.."

"Joo Dee...?" Jet repeated again subconsciously.

"You know Joo Dee...?" Aang asked tilting his head.

"No...NO! I don't, I mean...Agh my head hurts..!" Jet said groaning.

Aang put a hand on his shoulder, "Come on Jet, we're getting to the bottom of this, I'm a little fed up with finding new reasons to hate the Dai Li.."

* * *

Later that evening.

Brago and Ty Lee boarded the train moving up too the upper district. It was dark now with the last of purple in the sky sinking behind the walls. The dim green light from the train station lamps and the ceiling lamps of the train cars were the only light now.

Brago put a gold token down for the conductor and he nodded to him and Ty Lee that he'd let them on.

After the doors hissed shut, there was a low rumbling of the train beginning to move up the monorail.

Ty Lee watched the little lights of the city go by beneath them, it looked like the night sky was mirrored on the ground from all the house lights of the little homes.

She glanced over at Brago looking down at a piece of scroll parchment, twirling a charcoal in his fingers.

She looked back towards the night sky when she thought she caught sight of something flying. As much as she hoped, it was not her Avatar...simply a bird fluttering near the roof of the car.

The train stopped smoothly, making the low grinding sound it did when the granite wheels stopped. Brago shook his head at Ty that this was not where they were to be get off and she nodded starring out the window again.

The passengers slowly began to get off aside from a few others, elderly folk, in the car ahead of them.

Ty Lee glanced at Brago again as she saw him twirling his pen once more.

The Train began to go again as the doors slide shut.

"Is um..." She asked, "That for your..sister?"

Brago stopped twirling it. "I don't know..." he sighed, "I just feel like I should pen something at least. I mean if this is..." he stopped short.

"What?" Ty Lee asked.

Brago looked down the isle of their car ahead of them.

He whispered, "Since when do the elderly have iron and stone cuff's like that?..."

Sure enough, some of the passengers who were hunched over with their hoods or hats over their faces, were beginning to get up, and they weren't acting crotchety or old now. What's more the passenger Brago was pointing out, had grabbed onto the trains hand rail, revealing a very young, strong hand in a stone/iron cuff.

Brago stood and took Ty Lee's hand backing them up.

"We're asking the conductor to stop. Conductor?" he said turning behind them to look at the conductors stand at the back of the train but then noticed it empty.

"He's gone?" Ty Lee said confused.

"He jumped the train..." Brago said turning back to the passengers walking swiftly from their car to his and Ty's. "They all did, the passengers too, they were paid to get off here. This is a trap..."

Suddenly one of them punched the air straight at them, and the iron/stone cuff jetted out from his wrist, making a fist as it did so, headed right for Brago.

Brago stepped in front of Ty Lee more and picked up his thick farmers scythe from under his chair, and the stone fist splintered the wood in pieces, but then made a metal "TING" against rock as it hit something embedded in the scythe.

A second stone fist flew from the long cloak of the apparently NOT old man, this time at Ty Lee, who promptly back flipped with her hands on the ground, letting the stone fist sail past her legs, and then stood up again in a ready stance.

Brago stripped his sword from its sheath he had hidden inside his scythe, and drew it out in a monstrous swing, breaking the third stone fist headed straight for his chest.

In several fluid motions he was advancing while swinging his blade. The man threw his hood off, to reveal a discolored eye, and a brown cruel eye, glaring in unison. He stomped his foot on the train floor, earth bending a block about the size of half a foot up and at the Ty and her companion.

Brago did not waver however, and rather then continuing his advance at his attacker, sliced at the green crystal lamp above them, splintering it into little glowing shards on the ground.

"Now Ty!" Brago said.

As soon as it was dark enough in the room, Ty Lee flew threw the air at their assailant, running along the side of the train wall. A few sounds of punches and elbows later he was on the ground.

Brago lifted the man off the ground by his robe to search him, "We have to hurry, his friends from the cars further up ahead are almost to the one before ours!"

Suddenly his robe ripped revealing a Dai Li crest on his tunic underneath.

BOOM!

The door of their car was broken down and several other hooded figures stood in the now dark door way.

Ty Lee threw down a pouch she had prepared on her belt, just like the ones from her circus' magic act and it filled the car with smoke.

She grabbed Brago and yanked him with her out the window of the train.

* * *

_The Blue Blossom Inn_

The Avatar and the whole Gang stood around Jet, seated on a stool in the middle of the floor. Jet's crew had rented a room, then periodically allowed the rest of them in through a window. The reason for this was because they didn't think it was safe to go back to the Avatar's house where the Dai Li, who were definitely involved, could be waiting for them.

"I'm trying to remember!" Jet said, holding his head in frustration. "I just feel...gah! Like there's a blank! Are you sure this is right?"

Daiken stood, arms folded by the window, keeping a watchful eye out. "I'm sure that your memories are no longer your own, that is what pains you, not this possibility."

"You really think that the Dai Li brain washed him, and sent him to send the Avatar and you guys off course?" Smellerbee asked.

Daiken returned his glance to them, "For their lust for power...that and more. Too many people in this city are likened to livestock and gears in a machine..."

Sokka suddenly snapped his fingers, "He needs a jump! Something that'll help him feel like the old jerky Jet!"

Katara covered a giggle at the term "Jerky jet."

"Alright, like what?" Jet asked putting his hands up impatiently.

"Hmmmm" Sokka pondered, "WAIT I HAVE IT!" he suddenly exclaimed, and went through the grass filled bed cushion in the corner and came back with a reed, shoving it in Jet's mouth.

"THERE!" Sokka crowed triumphantly, then immediately got on his knee's in front of Jet's face and studied him for any kind of reaction.

The reed was spit onto Sokka's face, "I dont. Think. That's working..." Jet said keeping his voice even.

"Well at least he's grumpy again..." Sokka said brushing the reed off his face.

"What about Katara kiss him?" Toph smirked jokingly.

"Maybe you should kiss him Toph!" Katara said turning red. "Just a suggestion..." Toph said stretching.

"A bad one..." Aang said under his breath. But also he noticed how Katara blushed at the thought of it, he shook his head trying to think of something else.

"Wait..." Smellerbee spoke up, "What about...something painful, something that could never be fully repressed..."

"Like wha-" Jet started, then his eyes caught Longshot's. "You...you mean the death of my parents..." Longshot's eyes sadly said yes.

Jet began thinking back, whether or not he wanted to. The room suddenly spun to him as it seemed like a door was broken down in his mind, broken down by a Fire Nation raider, kicking it down, his village in flames behind him. Jet's mind's eye looked in the corner to see the silhouette of his mothers foot across from a shape on the ground like his father, she was crawling to him, still smoking herself.

Jet suddenly stood up, making the stool go back, he backed in to the corner. "No! No stop!..." he covered his head like a little kid. Katara immediately helped him from falling along with Smellerbee and Longshot.

"It's too painful..." Jet said choked under his breath, "Just...too...painful..."

"It's alright..." Katara said softly, but seriously, "I understand..."

Aang raised his hand too say something but didn't, his eyes were on Katara's hands on his shoulders, and how she was coaxing him down again. It was a gesture of kindness sure but...it still bothered him..

"Maybe I can help..." Katara said. She produced her healing water and put it against his temples and the back of his neck.

All Jet could hear now was the slashing of water outside his ears, it was relaxing...lulling...like being half submerged in a lake...a large lake outside the main reaches of the city. One where he was on the shores of, where standing on the water was the balded man... Long Feng.

His cruel eyes, green and intense, emotionless, burrowed into him, almost with the same callousness and cruelty that the golden eyes of the Fire Nation Raiders had.

As the green of his robes, and the green of his eyes got more vivid in his mind, so did his surroundings. Suddenly he was in a darkened hallway, lit by green lamps of gas and crystal. The passage ways were more numerous then a mouse-rabbits hole.

Suddenly he could hear a lulling, humming, like a bee hive, chanting, women's voices echoing through the halls... "I am Joo Dee...I am Joo Dee..." over and over.

"Very good..." came a voice he recognized but could not place. At hearing it he heard it much closer to him as he remembered his hands in stone shackles, along with his neck and legs. "Welcome to Ba Sing Se...the most perfect city in the world.." came the voice, just as something was about to be force fed him in a bottle.

Jet's eyes jolted open as he remembered his gag reflex fighting back. He gasped sitting up, and coughed.

"Jet?!" Smellerbee said. "Did you remember anything...?" Daiken asked.

"A lake...!" Jet said. "I remember a Lake! I was dragged there, and somehow ended up inside it. I mean under it! There's a lost city or something down there!"

"Wait..." Aang said, "Joo Dee said that she took a vacation to a Lake! Lake um...Laogai! Lake Laogai!"

"That was it!" Jet said excitedly, "Lake Laogai- Wait...You said Joo Dee! I know where I heard that from! I could hear it echoing through the halls down there!"

"You heard Joo Dee's voice?" Katara asked.

"What are...Joo Dee's anyway?" Jet said.

"Joo DEE'S?" Toph asked, emphasizing his use of the plural.

"Yeah..." Jet answered, "It sounded like there must have been dozens saying that.."

Everyones eyes grew a little. "Well that confirms our doubts..." Daiken said making a fist.

"What doubts?!" Jet said confused.

Aang sighed, "We believe that...the Dai Li are one of the customers of the slavers we helped take down, and that they buy girls and train them up to be Joo Dee's...puppets for the Earth Kingdom's PR."

Jet's eyes narrowed, "How can this happen! In the Earth Kingdom's capital!"

Toph shrugged, "Evil's evil...Earth Kingdom or Fire...or maybe I should just call it politics."

Jet stalked over to his things and ripped out his hook swords.

"Come on Avatar. We're getting your Bison back..."

* * *

Ty Lee and Brago kept their balance best they could on the roof of the stone train, traveling up the monorail over Ba Sing Se.

Brago was slicing stone slabs heading for him through the air, and Ty Lee was diving out of the way of them and kicking at who ever got close enough.

The Dai Li agents in disguise pressed their attack making them back up further and further to the edge of the train roof.

Suddenly they saw another train approaching. Ty looked at Brago who nodded and at a signal they both lept off the train roof onto the one speeding by them going down the hill.

No sooner had they landed on it, then they heard the THUD of four feet hitting the roof behind them, two of the Dai Li had lept off along with them. What's more they saw the train they were previously on, stopping as it got further in the distance, then slowly slide backwards after them. They had gotten the driver to go into reverse after them.

Without another word Ty Lee and Brago sped down the roof of the car, to the next one, making the leap, and the other with their pursuers chasing them, and bending at them.

Suddenly as they made the next jump to try to get to the drivers car, Ty Lee was grabbed from behind by one of the Dai Li's stone fists, and yanked back through mid air, back to the car she'd leaped from, squealing.

"TY LEE!" Brago said over his shoulder, but that moment he turned his head was just enough. Suddenly chains erupted from the train window he was standing near and latched onto his wrist in a rock hard cuff. Before he could swing at them, his other arm was done the same from the Dai Li who had jumped to his roof.

One of the hooded ones removed his now, standing up straight from the fighting stance he was previously in.

"Well one thing is for sure..." he said, using the stone glove to yank Brago's sword from his hurting hands. "This is no Earth Kingdom weapon... Sargent!"

One of the Dai Li came up behind him, "Yes lord Long Feng the officer replied.

"Have the driver stop the train here, and compensate his family. We're taking these two to a special facility at Lake Laogai..."


	50. Chapter 50

_**Welcome to Lake Laogai**_

The Dai Li agent woke up with a start! He'd had a horrible dream he was falling, what's worse was, he was still falling now that he was a wake! No, no, wait, he wasn't, but he was suspended in mid air, in the dark.

No...no it was ropes, he was tied from his feet upside down from something, and as his eyes adjusted to the dark he could make out the shape of tree branches and leaves against the night sky.

He turned and torqued as much as he could to get his upper body up to undo his binds but they were on his hands too.

"Now...listen up!" he heard a voice say. That familiar voice...it was that masked man! In a Demon blue mask. He and his cohort had been knocked over by him before it turned into an alley. They had given chase and attempted to earth bend him down with a punch to the head. And he had gone down...but then how was he suddenly behind them and taking out his friend? His friend! Toa Gan! Where was Toa Gan!

"Who are you?" He asked "Where is my partner-

he was cut off by a _SHING_ of metal through the air, and the tip of a swords blade just barely touching his throat. He held perfectly still and looked to the side with his eyes.

There kneeling on a branch near him, was the Demon faced man, or boy. He was completely in black so the blue mask looked nearly suspended in the air in the dark, making it hard for him to determine how big he was compared to him.

"I, will be answering the questions, or I'll cut you down from here..." he said out of his mask.

"Or you'll let me go?" The Dai Li repeated not understanding the term.

The Masked boy dragged his sword down off of his throat, and pointed downwards with it.

The Dai Li looked down, or in his case up. Bellow him was at least 5 stories down, they were in a Forest area of the Earth Kingdom, preserved by sanction for their trees to grow as tall as they could. And rather then ground, there was water bellow him, he could tell by the stars reflected in the moonlight.

"Your partner is safe and unconscious, for now, he didn't know what I wanted to know. We're going to have a chat about where a particular missing animal went to..."

* * *

Ty Lee struggled against the rock hard restraints on her arms as she was lead on down the dark passage way with Brago at her side. "Where are you taking us?!" she hissed at their guards.

"I think it's more of where we've been brought..." Brago said before he was roughly pushed on to go faster by a rock hard stone hand from the Dai Li.

"There are still no grounds you have to arrest us!" Ty Lee said over her shoulder.

"Keep it moving..!" the Dai Li agent said.

Brago sighed, "I doubt these are the groups that deal with judicial process..."

Ty Lee suddenly understood, they were like the Catchfire soldiers back home, were trusted enough by the Fire Lord to arrest at their discretion. Which then lead to the next subject, how royally screwed they were, from any angle.

"You can count on this Missy..." One of the agents huffed, "All of _our_ questions? You're DEFIANTLY going to answer..."

He did not know how much that added to the situation for tie. She stood in danger of not only revealing her cover with Brago as Fire Nation, but her involvement with the Avatar. If she actually said she knew the Avatar or asked to speak with him to confirm her story, she could risk Brago's life. Even the life of Azula and Mai, who knew if they had already infiltrated the city?

Suddenly she was thrown into a very narrow cell, lit only by a green crystal stemming from the ceiling, and the door slammed shut behind her of solid rock.

"Listen!" She heard Brago say. "What ever you do, whatever they offer you, don't let them force you to lie, they'll use it against you and everyone you care about!"

She could hear Brago being dragged off as the voice got more and more distant.

She ran up to the bars of her cell door and stood on her toes to look through.

She could make out the last of Brago's boot and a Dai Li's robe disappearing around a corner at the end of a hall.

Suddenly a pair of calm, intense eyes moved in front of her cell door window. She back up nearly falling back from surprise.

"Well hello there..." came the melodious voice of Long Feng.

"What are you going to do to him?" Ty Lee asked.

"Oh just ask him some questions..." Long Feng said, "We're going to make him believe we're doing all sorts of terrible things to you, in great detail, and then, when he either cracks down or believes we're bluffing, we're going to perform our threats on you like we promised for him to see, and he will know exactly in what order and detail it will be done."

Ty Lee folded her arms trying not to act terrified, "You have no reason to hold us here! We weren't even doing anything wrong!"

"Oh but you were..." Long Feng said. "Aside from the fact that our agents have been assigned to tale anyone who follows up on the Avatar's accursed posters...one of our agents could've sworn you two were talking about... foreign and domestic matters, as if you weren't from our neck of the woods..."

Ty Lee swallowed the lump in her throat as best she could.

She heard the familiar _SHING_ of a weapon outside, and saw the glint of Brago's sword being examined in front of her cell.

"Such an odd weapon..." Long Feng mused, "Well crafted, and efficient, military standard too, but to distinctly different from the make of our own swords...this one must be custom made yes?"

Ty Lee bit her tongue before speaking, she was so nervous right now if she didn't force herself to think she would inevitably say something stupid. "Why should that interest you, I'm pretty sure we aren't the only refugee's who have things you've never seen before. Do you do this to all the sailors and traders who bring their goods into Ba Sing Se?"

Long Feng shrugged off the comment, "Well most of the time yes, but never have we seen them react to us as if they were expecting combat..."

Ty Lee moved a strand of hair out of her eye, "We grew up learning to be ready for anything, and not trust authority as this seems to be proving our argument about..." Good going Ty Lee, good going, just keep this streak of not screwing up on a little longer and he may leave you be long enough to think of a plan.

"I have an entire laundry list of things to rebut your stories, but, for now I'll just ask: Why are you so interested in looking for the Avatar's missing animal? The Avatar is very powerful, and being in possession of a creature as dear to him as this beast can prove VERY useful to the right people."

"Is that why you have him?" Ty Lee asked, "You're manipulating and controlling him when he hasn't done a thing to you! He came here to help you!-er...Probably and you welcome him with this!?"

She shut her eyes after that, she'd lost it, the streak a was over, she slipped.

"You speak as if you know him..." Long Feng said, sounding genuinely taken aback. "The plot thickens...while this does knock my preconception about who you and your friend actually are, it just means that our sessions are going to be that much more interesting..."

With that she heard him walking away again.

Ty Lee hit her fist hard against the rock of her wall, it hurt but she didn't care. "Stupid stupid stupid!" she said running her hands through her hair. She leaned up against the walls and slid down. If she had any hopes of maybe putting in a good word with her and Brago by relation to Aang, they were shot to pieces now.

These people didn't even seem to like the Avatar, and now she had just broadcasted that she greatly did. And now Brago's life was in her hands as much as hers was...and all in one convo...typically her...typical Ty Lee. No no, that was Azula talking, no! She would not think those thoughts. ...Then again, what if they were right? How much more of a doomed situation could you ask for short of the Axe-men's block, not that that possibility wasn't in their future if they were found guilty of being spies. And probably due to her blabbing something telling whilst talking with Brago when he told her to keep her mouth shut...figures the one time she tries reaching Aang, she ends up putting herself and her new friend in a dungeon.

What made this inner scolding her mind all the more grating was the constant chanting from a few halls down; the chantings were: "I am Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se. I am Joo Dee, welcome to ba sing se."

over and over again...

* * *

Lake Loagai

Aang and his band stood at the shores of the massive lake, it was misty and dark still. "Do you remember where it was?...Something familiar about the banks, anything?" Aang asked.

Jet shook his head, "No, I can't i just remember being near lots of water and sloshing at the time..."

Toph stepped forward to the water and knelt down by the shore, putting her hand on the Earth.

"There's a door here...I can feel it...it's been recently bent." She said.

Daiken outstretched his hand and the sand from the shore came up from the water and to his hand, revealing a definite stone inverted archway undernieth.

Toph stamped her foot down, and with the hidden pressure point triggered, the Rock shifted in front of them on the water, revealing a stair way going down into blackness. Water dripped down the sides of it at first until it rose to the point where the lake could not pour into it down the steps.

"Whoa!" Sokka said, but then the group shushed him.

"This way..." Jet said going first, angrily.

* * *

Meanwhile inside, Zuko looked over his shoulder, hearing the water rushing in a few halls down. Someone had opened the door behind him, did that mean that someone had found the unconscious Dai Li agent he had hidden by the rocks?

Either way he had not time for pondering this. He raced down the long dark hallways as fast as he could.

_"Down the hall too the left on your third right_..." he said in his mind.

That agent may have been lying to him, but he'd have to take that chance, he was this far already, and his ticket to securing the Avatar was in his grasp. Thinking back he'd often wondered why he didn't force himself and his uncle to follow the Avatar's flunkies after that incident with the children, it would have been simple enough!

Suddenly he heard footsteps so he stopped short of coming around the corner, and kicked off the wall silently, allowing him to jump high enough to hold onto a chandelier of green crystal on the ceiling and remain motionless. He tugged his black ninja scarf around his face so that he could blend in with the darkness of that corner.

Two Dai Li agents rushed around that very corner, down the hall he'd just come down.

They ran into another agent who stopped them, murmuring something, something about "an intruder..." and "earlier..." were they refering to him or to someone who'd gotten in previously?

Either way the all suddenly darted down another hallway they revealed by bending a door open in the wall next to them and slamming it behind them.

As soon as he was sure no one else was coming down the hallway, he dropped down from the chandelier and rolled up against the wall, still without making a sound; not even his swords clinked.

He passed a hallway where he thought he heard murmuring:"I am Joo Dee, welcome to Ba Sing Se..." or something.

"What in the world is that?" Zuko wondered as he passed by.

Suddenly he heard the sound of running water, he followed it to where he found a drain, one large enough for someone lean enough to slip through. Sure enough there was water trickling in from a stone mechanism in the wall resembling a Seal Horse.

"They'd have to keep something that large hydrated and fed..." he thought to himself. He lifted the lid of the drain and took a pebble from the side of floor and dropped down.

Sure enough as it made a *rap tap* noise in an echo going down, he heard a low *GROWL which ended in a rumble...* a rumble he recognized.

He suddenly heard someone coming. He pulled the lid back over himself as he scooted down the drain, then as soon as it was firmly in place let himself drop and slide down, just as a Dai Li agent set foot on the drain grate over him.

* * *

North side tunnel

A Dai Li agent dropped down to the ground with his eyes rolling in the back of his head. Jet uncupped his hands from previously hitting him on the head from behind.

He signaled the group to follow him, putting up four fingers.

Smellerbee, Longshot, Toph, and Daiken rushed quickly behind him, Aang and Katara brought up the rear, being the biggest and loudest guns that didn't involve digging if they were met with trouble from behind. Sokka just stayed behind Daiken and Toph.

"These tunnels all look the same, are you sure you remember?..." Sokka asked.

Jet grumbled rubbing his head. "I don't...I don't know I know the door looked exactly like this one but...they all look like this one!" he said in a hushed tone.

"Maybe we should've asked that guard before we clocked him..." Toph said shrugging.

suddenly they all heard a familiar voice echoing down the halls.

"Ba Sing Se is the greatest sociological and civilized city in the world. Please enjoy your stay here..."

"Joo Dee!" Aang said. Jet's eyes flared, "we must be getting close, I remember those voices distinctly!"

"Let me." Toph said pushing everyone aside, and knelt down next to the wall, putting her hand on it.

In her minds eye, she saw/heard 12-24 women, some of them looking as young or tall as 17, all standing in rows like ears of corn, not moving, just chanting over and over. They faced a wall with something plastered on it, she couldn't tell what, probably a painting, and in front of that was one small guard with a switch in his hand that he twirled as he walked in front of them, shwishing it every so often like a conductors wand.

In the corner of the room was a pot, boiling with something which that Toph could not pick up due to the thickness of the stone.

Listening further, she could sense several other guards marching in a radius around various portions of the catacombs. For right now, they wouldn't be met with any immediate hostility, but they had to move fast.

"Come with me.." she hissed slinking along the sides of the wall. The group did so crouched down.

Toph listened closely, as a deep voice from the other side said "Dismissed..."

She could hear/sense a few dozen or so Joo Dee's marching in pairs out of the room as a door was bent open for them.

She could hear them going towards the hallway that lead to the passage where the door was leading to outside. She also noticed that the Drill instructor Dai Li agent put his reed up to prevent the last Joo Dee from leaving.

"Ah...not you I'm afraid." he said.

"What ever is the matter?..." Came the voice of the Joo Dee Toph knew to be the one assigned to Aang and the rest of them.

"Long Feng has decided that you will need further...prompting to be potent enough to coheres the Avatar under pressure.." the Agent said, bending the door shut.

Joo Dee's voice was even, but Toph could tell it took all her strength to keep it that way,

"I assure you sir, I am more then capable now..it has just been a less then perfect day. My stay here has made me feel much better.." she insisted.

Toph heard the Drill instructor sigh in a way that suggested he was shaking his head as he said, "Regardless Long Feng has specifically requested we take measures to insure you do not have a break down openly when allowed back into high rise society."

Toph could hear him walking over to a pot in the corner of the room where the pot was bubbling.

"No.." she heard Joo Dee said, "Sirs I insist...I am much better.."

The Drill instructor agent neared her, with her frozen in her place as if by some invisible rope, but she was shaking so much Toph could've felt it if she wasn't straining.

"You will be..." came the voice of the Drill instructor in a voice that chilled Toph, making her grip her fists. That was long enough of a wait.

The group watched as Toph slammed her foot down hard.

On the other side of the wall, the Dai Li brainwasher suddenly was swallowed up in the floor, leaving only his hat behind on the floor and the ladle he was bringing to her spinning in the air.

On Toph's side, they heard gargled stammer, cut off immediately and followed by the squeal of Joo Doo.

Toph torqued her foot the shocked head and shoulders of the Dai Li Drill man came popping out of the floor on their side. Without having to wait for a command, Jet knelt down and punched the Dai Li in the face making him pass out.

"Let's go!" Toph said, and her and Daiken made a door for all of them to squeeze through to get into the room with Joo Doo.

There they saw her, with her hands over her mouth, backing up wide eyed. By her feet was an Iron ladle, and a spilled pot of yellowish green substance that was steaming on the floor.

"No!.." Joo Dee gasped out more than anything. Aang was the first to put his staff on his back and put his hands up, "It's alright!" he said making eye contact with her.

"We aren't here to hurt you..." Katara said reassuringly.

Joo Dee just stammered, quivering again as she shook her head. "No! This..this isn't...I was going to make it through the processing! Now he'll...He'll..."

Katara took her arms in her hands firmly, if anything to coax her into looking at her. "No he won't...we, won't, let him...your safe now"

"But we are always safe in Ba Sing Se..." one of the Joo Dee's said.

Daiken just walked behind her and peeled gown collar down to show the mark he was hoping not to find. She slapped his hand away all too late back from him.

Her cool composure was immediately gone at his touch but slowly tried to regain it.

"It is as I feared..." Daiken said, Jet frowned, recognizing the mark himself.

"She bares the branding image of Sea Vulture..." Daiken said, grieving with his voice.

"So they kidnapped you...and all those girls...?" Jet said disgustedly.

Joo Dee just fumbled her lips as if she was flipping through pages of a book in her head of what to say. She has backed herself against the green wall and looked as if she wanted to slide down, gripping her arms.

"That's Horrible..." Katara said putting a hand over her mouth.

Daiken walked over to her, and she did sink down to the floor away from him, he put his hands up and asked softly, in a voice the group was not used to,

"How old were you when they took you?"

The Joo Dee's eyes met his and said sadly, "I was..."

she stopped herself making herself say the answer she knew she SHOULD "...given a home, when I was 14..."

Everyone looked at each other.

She went on, "But...the Dai Li said if everything would be different for me, for use, if we just..."

"Let them do what they wanted with you and allowed them to make you their puppets..." Jet glared.

"...they take good care of us.." she said meekly.

"If you behave..." Katara said with contempt. "This is wrong, you don't deserve any of this, no matter what they've been force feeding you!"

Aang looked at the Joo Dee, the look on his face and in his eyes was like someone moving a curtain out of the way getting right to your soul, "What is your real name?.." he asked.

Joo Dee shook her head, "N-no. My name IS Joo Dee, you should not be here! The regulations of Ba Sing-"

Jet took her trembling hand, "You can tell us...you'll get to use it again, I promise..."

Joo Dee sighed, "They want you to forget your names... initially...I remember what mine sounds like...Fair...it's fair..."

"Fair, we're going to help all of you." Jet said firmly, and helped her up.

Aang smiled, "..Now please, they have a dear friend of mine trapped down here, we need you to help us find him if we're going to get out of here, we'll keep you safe."

"You can't protect us..." Joo Dee said.

"Yes we can..." Katara said.

Suddenly Toph spun around in the room. "Look out!" She bent the floor around them into a spiraling slide as the rest of the floor suddenly capsized and fell several feet, or what looked like floors bellow them.

Joo Dee's shrieked going down the slide Toph made for them, Jet grabbed her hand. "I got you!" he said.

When they all landed at the bottom, they were in what looked like a stone court yard underground, with water falls around them coming out of the walls into canals.

Standing in the middle of the courtyard, was none other then Long Feng and five other Dai Li agents, just now putting their hands down from causing the floor of the Joo Dee's room to capsize.

"Actually..." Long Feng said, "No, you cannot."

Everyone got into an offensive stance glaring at him and his agents.

"This is sick..." Katara spat. "Buying slaves to basically make your wind up toys to promote your lies throughout the city!"

Long Feng shrugged, "Can you think of a better life for them? They were going to live an existence of cruel servitude outside these walls. We give them refinement, stability..."

Jet unfurled his weapon with a loud metal SHING and pointed it at Long Feng. "Shut up! What your doing is barbaric! Your abusing these girls minds for your own cultures vanity and pleasure!.."

"We're doing what any government has done...taken what is weak in a person, and made it into a strength. And in this case it is an always smiling, welcoming face..the face of Ba Sing Se..." Long Feng said. He had no poker face, he had no need of one. He was not convicted at all about what he was doing here, and it made Toph want to puke.

"We are leaving with her. And with Appa..." Aang said, gripping his staff loud enough to be heard.

"Again..." Long Feng said, "You're mistaken...now Joo Dee, come here...and I promise, I won't hurt-"

Two things happened to cut him off, one being that Jet pulled Joo Dee behind him to shrink away, his eyes burning. And two, Longshot fired an Arrow right at Long Feng's head to prevent him from talking to her.

The Arrow was struck away by one of Long Feng's agents, bending stone slab in the way.

Long Feng just frowned and stepped back as what seemed like the whole wall and ceiling began to converge upon them; Dai Li bending from all directions.

In the same resolute motion, Aang's band tour through the rocks coming their way with sword, and arrow, and boomerang, and bending.

Their being out numbered began to prove to be no hinderence their chances of winning, for they all burned with an indignation.

Each time, one of them came close to having their heads cracked, or nearly knocked off, and each time, they dodged it by a hair and replied with an attack the rendered the Dai Li unconscious or broken in some fashion.

Joo Dee was primarily being guarded by Aang and Katar, keeping her knelt down between them.

Daiken heard Toph yelp and turn to see her yanked by her shirt upside down with a stone fist, attached to a long chain protruding from the Dai Li's billowing sleeve.

A second Dai Li whipped out his own chain from his sleeve and swung it to meet her in mid air with a hard strike.

Daiken spun himself, lashing out a stream of sharp sand which sliced through the chains, making the stone fist slam in into the face of the other Dai Li agent, causing him to release Toph and she rolled to the floor.

However the Dai Li with the broken chain was by no means slow to reflexes, for he struck his fist out one punch after the other, making stone gloves rocket at Daiken's already outstretched hands and encase them completely in firm rock.

Daiken just ran at the the Dai Li knowing that he was bending the rock distantly to keep him from breaking out of them. The Dai Li wasn't sure if the Sand Bender meant to tackle him or some such attack so he bent the floor near where his next step would be to hit his shin.

Amazingly Daiken jumped and rolled over the shifting stone in the floor, landing at the feet of the agent, and stood straight up, bringing the rock encasing on his hands up hard against the face of the Dai Li...sending the agent off his feet, with a tooth or too flying.

Daiken bent the restraints off immediately and moved his fingers around, then ducked as a rock headed for his head exploded into gravel. Turning he saw that Toph had bent the stone meant for him out of the way. He nodded at her and she smirked at him before the both of them joined the fray.

Longshot had just run out of arrows so he was now using his bow, which was metal plated now, to use against any Dai Li in his way in close combat.

Smellerbee saw Long Feng in the distance, with a look of rage and actual worry on his face, his forces were being cut down, soon THEY would be outnumbering him.

He was trying to escape, but he was to far on the other side, she ran towards him, "Longshot!" she called for him to follow.

A Dai Li next to Long Feng punched a stone gloved fist at her, she picked up a fallen body of Dai Li agent with an arrow still in it to take the brunt of it.

Suddenly he lifted a stalactite off of the ground and hurtled it hard.

* * *

Dungeon

Meanwhile bellow them, Appa was licking his paw where he had cut himself trying to squeeze out of the restraints that held him to the floor. Suddenly he heard a splash, and looked up, something had fallen into the water canal that he drank from in the shadows.

He focused his eyes for adjusting to darkness and saw a man's figure approaching him, sloshing his feet, his face hidden by a blue mask, but all the same it alarmed Appa and he growled standing to his feet as much as he could.

The growl turned louder when he saw the unphased figure whip out two long swords that gleamed in what little light there was.

Zuko just kept approaching the large bison, here at long last, was his ticket to everything...the Avatar, freedom from this...hell...

Suddenly light shown from behind him, casting his shadow long across the floor to Bison. Zuko crouched spinning around, swords ready. What he saw in the now open doorway nearly made him drop them.

"Zuko." came the voice of Iroh. It was not his usual voice, comforting despite whatever the circumstance, it was upset, very upset.

"Uncle..." was all Zuko could say at first. Then removing his mask he said, "What are you doing here..."

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Iroh said evenly, sillouetted in the large frame of the door. "Tell me nephew...what do you plan to do now that you have the Avatar's bison? Keep it locked in our new apartment? Should I brew some tea for it?"

As the door closed behind Iroh, he saw that the old man's face wasn't glaring, gut it certainly was frowning, which Zuko found was worse.

"First I have to get it out of here..." he answered, looking at Appa so he wouldn't have to look at him. "..somehow-"

"And then what?!" Iroh said, in a much louder and sterner voice then Zuko was used to, even when giving orders to their soldiers.

"Zuko. You have NEVER thought these things through! This is just like when you tried capturing the Avatar at the North pole!..." Iroh said. "You had him Zuko, you had him, and then you had nowhere in an entire wasteland to go!"

Zuko spun around angrily for being talked to like this "I would have figured something out Uncl-" he started.

"NO! If his friends hadn't found you, and weren't merciful, you would've frozen to death!" Iroh snapped in a voice that echoed and made Zuko's mouth shut.

"I am TIRED of seeing you risk your life over something you don't even want!"

Zuko again turned away to look at the Bison who simply looked back at him with more confused eyes then anything.

"I'm not a child, and I have to do this! It's my destiny you know that!"

Iroh's words were quick and clean like a swordsman's blocking an attack and striking another home each time.

"Is it your destiny? Is it Zuko, is it it YOURS? Or is it one someone has set up for you, set up for you with no other intention for you to fall trying, again and again!"

"Stop it Uncle! I have to do this!" Zuko said glaring at the floor now. His swords were vibrating in his hands from the shaking.

"No! No, you, don't! You say you are not a child, so I am begging you!..."

Iroh's voice now had more then poised anger, it was grief. "...I'm begging you, to look Inward...and answer the short questions, the IMPORTANT ONES, the ones a MAN has to ask Zuko: Who are YOU! What do YOU want..."

Zuko growled throwing his swords down, one of them so hard that it stuck between the cobblestones.

His growl echoed throughout the caverns...all the way to the prison rooms.

Brago by now had been put in a stone cell next to Ty Lee's, he leaned his head up, rubbing his hurt cheek from the truth having attempted to be beat out of him.

"Did you hear that Ty...?" he asked perking his ears.

* * *

"NO!" Jet bellowed.

Smellerbee looked at the piece of stalactite lodged in her side, she sank to her knee's next to the agent with arrow in its back.

Longshot and Jet both ran towards her in what felt like slow motion. She saw Long Feng grin, he wanted them running to her, and though her vison was getting blury , she could tell the agent next to him was breaking off another piece of stalactite, undoubtedly meant for her distracted friends. Looking back she saw Longshot notice it too as he ran to her.

She yanked out the arrow from the body with her good arm and tossed it to him who caught it as he slid to his knee's.

The Dai Li agent was just in the process of pulling his arm back to throw the sharp rock shard when Longshot let the arrow fly perfectly, pinning the agent to the wall next to Long Feng who sneered at that being to close to himself and backed into the metal door they were edging towards; leaving his agents to defend the way in.

Jet slid to his knee's next, right to Smellerbee's side. "Smeller!..." he said with a shaky voice.

The rest of the group had only a second to look in horror at what had been done before having to start fighting again against the Dai Li agents determined to defend their lair to the last.

It all seemed dulled, blurred away to Longshot and Jet who knelt by their fallen friend. "Smeller?! Your going to be alright, keep those eyes open soldier..." Jet was able to say.

"It hurts.." was all she was able to moaned. Exerting herself like she had done more harm to her then not.

"Don't talk!..." Jet said. "We're going to get you out...I promise!..."

Smellerbee smiled, a little "Don't bother...just, get him for me will you...?" she coughed. "I miss mom and dad as it is.."

Jet screamed, "No, no don't close your eyes, don't yo- KATARA?! KATARA, Your healing water we need i-"

Katara pulled herself away from the fight to run over, Aang watched her back so she could do so.

Jet was about to scream again but Longshot put a shaky hand on his chest, making him look down, Smellerbee wasn't moving.

"No!...NO!" Jet said putting his ear vainly to her chest. Katara nelt down and felt her neck with her two fingers...she bit her lip shaking her head.

Jet's long hair drooped as he looked down at his knee's, his head quivering. Longshot didn't even move. JooDee knelt down next to her too, "I'm so sorry..." she said cupping her face into a sob.

Katara put a hand on his shoulder, at the same time a boulder headed right for them. Toph, or Daiken or someone who could bent Earth prevented it from hitting them, but the sound of it made Jet's head snap back up, and his eyes were gushing with rage.

He rose to his feet, Hookswords in hand. "Longshot..." he said in a voice that didn't need to be raised to be like yelling, you get Smellerbee, and JooDee..out of here.."

Longshot opened his mouth for the first time that any of the group had seen him do, but Jet cut him off, "NO! She needs to get out, she needs to tell the Earth King how to get here and what goes on in her...!"

Katara was shocked by his logical reasoning. JooDee quiveringly bowed her head, "I will tell him..I'll tell him everything that's happened."

"GO!" Jet said. Longshot put his bow on his back and carried his little friend in his arms. "Yes sir..." he uttered for the first time.

"Quickly this way!" Joo Dee said, and he and her ran back through a door leading to the halls.

Jet looked to Toph and Daiken who had just taken down the last few Dai Li.

"Can you bend that door down?..." he said, his voice rumbled like a dogs low growl when it's about to kill.

Toph used her senses and said, "There's a fork beyond that wall, one going along the water way, the other down a metal shaft, and the other just deeper under the mountain. People are running down all of them, he could have gone down any one of those passageways..."

"We'll have to split up..." Aang said. "Jet you with me, Sokka and Katara you go down the metal one, Katara take Sokka and go down the one leading along the stream, Daiken and Toph you take the on lined with the mountain, we don't want to be away from our elements... let's do this, and find Appa and Long Feng..."

Katara was taken a back a bit by Aang's decisiveness, but Jet just growled out his breath "Oh we're finding Long Feng..."

Toph and Daiken nodded, "Beware traps..." Daiken cautioned before helping Toph use the rock around the door to pull it off.

All the assigned teams went down the three divvying routes.

Longshot and Aang ran down thier dim passageway until Aang saw a foot in the distance dissappearing around the corner. The Pony tale that went after it was Defininately long Feng's.

"THERE HE IS!" Aang said, but before he even finished, Jet ran head down towards the door, his swords scraping sparks along the metallic walls.

Aang did his best to catch up with him, "Wait! Jet remember what Daiken said about-!"

He burst into the door way, revealing a room nearly identical to the one they had fought in previously.

Suddenly the steel door shut behind them with a clang.

Long Feng landed from the ceiling onto the walk way in front of the door. He put his hands behind his back and said condescendingly. "I'll give you one last chance...leave Ba Sing Se now...and I'll let you have your flying pet..."

"You killed her..." Jet said, his arms shaking.

Long Feng didn't flinch, something was off to Aang.

"You're in no position to bargain Long Feng..." Aang said.

"ENOUGH TALK!" Jet growled flying at Long Feng.

Long Feng suddenly whipped his arm across himself and a green hiss of smoke covered Jet who coughed, swinging at open air as Long Feng moved.

"Oh Jet..." he said. "It's time for you to visit the Earth King in Lake Laogai..."

Suddenly Jet stopped in his track's...the smoke was a drug, or incense. Most likely used on the JooDee's.

"I am...honored..to accept his invitation..." Jet said struggling with his voice is sounded like.

Aang blew the smoke away as much as he could but Jet was now glaring at him, and raising his Hook swords at Aang.

"You..." he hissed at Aang.

"Oh no..." Aang said.

* * *

Cellblocks

Meanwhile at the lower prison side of the fortress. Ty Lee was bracing herself against her barred window to try to find a way to maybe pick at hinges above it, but found none.

"Don't worry Ty..." Brago said. "We'll find a way out. We're still going to meet up with Azula...and we're still going to capture the Avatar..."

Ty Lee groaned "Do we have to talk about that now?..."

"What?" Brago asked from his own cell.

Ty Lee sighed, "I just don't see the point anymore...I mean we should focus on bringing the city down right?..." she said.

"Well obviously..." Brago said. "But an opportunity like this...the sky bison right under our feet...can you imagine what that would do for us. And for you!"

Ty Lee rubbed her head, he was just trying to cheer her up, he most likely thought she needed a patriotic or motivational pep talk so she wouldn't despair.

"You're right Brago..." she said playing along. "We will find the Avatar. We're going to get out of here and meet with Azula, and your going to help conquer the Earth Kingdom and become a Captain Mai's parents can approve..."

Brago smiled hearing that, "And you, you're family won't be able to afford to avoid you, they'll be begging to be associated with you once you return a hero to the Fire Nation..."

Suddenly they heard a cough. They both went still. Brago picked up a steel plate he'd sharpened, just in case someone came through his door.

Ty Lee didn't hear anything more though, but was overwhelmingly aware that someone was still out there and listening, she krept to barred window and saw...a very, familiar...hair looped face, of Aang's water bender friend Katara.

Her blood ran cold now. She was perspiring like rain now. This was it. She was in a fortress where her fate was torture or death leading to the capture of her other friends. Brago was right next to her and if she spilled her guts...and it went wrong, she would lose everything she knew, and loved back home, most of all her friends and what she'd fought to have with them, and they would hate her...if she went along with this, to play up the act for Brago, she may never get out out of this, and Aang would be told what was overheard...and that would be a different kind of death.

Everything was riding on one of those possibilities, and she had to say something, she had to DO something. She had to choose.

Katara didn't say anything, just staring at Ty Lee's door. Ty Lee couldn't control herself, she threw her hands on the bars of the door window. "Katara?" She said hoping that she got the name right.

Katara didn't reply back she just began backing away from the door as if she was disgusted. "Is Aang here?" Ty Lee asked pleadingly. "Tell him I'm here! Please! I can explain everything to him!"

Brago wasn't sure what to make of any of this so he just listened from his own cell.

"And I thought...maybe I was wrong, and that you cared about him..." Katara said. "I do!" Ty Lee said. "Please let me explain!" she said squeezing her eyes shut, she knew that Brago couldn't see her, but she could feel his eyes through the wall.

"I was different but now-"

She was stopped mid sentence.

"You're going to break his heart..." Katara said. "Do you realize what this is going to do to him!..." she said.

"You can't tell him what you heard!" Ty Lee begged.

"Oh I won't..." Katara said, backing more towards the door way out.

"Wait! I do care about Aang! Ka-...Katara! Wait! Please at least tell him i'm here!"

Katara turned her head back, "No. Because I care for him too."

The door slid shut after her.

It was over...done...she'd chosen, and it was over...she was over. There was just silence now, there wasn't even the sound of Brago breathing next to her cell, she was alone again, she could feel it all around her like coldness that stung.

She just slowly slid down the door, and her back began to heave as she started sobbing into her knees.

* * *

Above Ty Lee, Aang was busy dodging Jet's blows to his head.

"Jet!" he said, "You've got to listen to me! He's brainwashing you! This isn't you! You're a freedom fighter!"

"Finish him off!" Long Feng hissed, curling his lips into a smile.

"No! Don't let him use you! Think of...Smellerbee!" he said. Bringing his staff up to block his Hook sword coming down on his head.

The other hook sword stopped short of Aang's neck, Jet just shook for a second... "Wha...Sm-Smeller..."

It didn't take very long at all, the rage he was feeling burned right through the psychosis.

He immediately threw his Hook sword at Long Feng's head.

Long Feng dodged it by an inch, some of his pony tale got cut by it wizzing by.

In the same motion as ducking, Long Feng sent a sharpened rock through the Earth, slithering like a snake with an eye's blinking speed.

Aang didn't see it, but Jet did...he used his Hook sword to yank Aang by his Arm out of the way...allowing the sharpened Rock to come through the ground like a badger mole bursting from the earth...right into him.

Aang rolled to his feet and saw in horror what was done, he glared at Long Feng and twisted his body around to let fly a humongous kick that sent a gust of wind hurtling at the Earth Bender.

Long Feng quickly made a rock shaft boost him up to the level of a drainage pipe near the ceiling, big enough to run through.

The air tore into the rock sending pieces of it scattering where Long Feng had once stood.

"Foolish boy!...he's chosen his own demise..." he called after him as he disappeared into the darkness of the pipe.

Aang rolled Jet onto his side away from the sharp spire, and tore part of his tunic to help stop the wound.

Jet struggled a little, and Aang could tell it hurt.

"Jet you stay still..." Aang said.

"I need..too...get him.." Jet said. "For...S-Sm..eller...B-"

Suddenly Aang heard the door open behind him, looking over his shoulder he saw Daiken and Toph coming up.

"We found a large room where we believe Appa was being held. But the Bison's shackles were cut lose, by someone else, they must have moved him whilest we were fighting."

Daiken finally realized why Toph wasn't saying anything, "Oh no..." he said running with her to Jet's side.

"Where's Katara is she back...?" Aang asked.

Jet coughed a bit, grabbing Aang's collar. "N-no..." He said looking at Aang. "I..I messed up, as a leader, and a friend."

Aang grabbed Jet's hand. "Just stop talking..."

Jet smirked a bit, "You know me better then...then that. I want-...I want you to do something for me.."

"JET!" came a pained cry from the side of the room, now Katara ran up, Sokka behind her.

Katara put her healing water out on her hands and began running them over his chest.

She began sniffing, "I can heal up the wound but,...there's to much internal damage...something broken in him. Maybe if I-"

Jet grabbed her hand.

"No...Katara, you get out of here..." -he looked at Aang- "And find your Bison..."

Aang looked down saddly at Jet, "You asked me to do something for you.."

Jet coughed again, his eyes blinking quickly,

"Yeah...tell. Tell Longshot, not to blame himself, for any of this. And...and tell him, he's got to follow you now..."

Jet put a shaking finger on Aang's chest.

"Tell him, he has to help you...save the world. You're what can make a difference...stop all this...*cough*...and madness in our own nation..the Fire Nation too...I see that now."

Aang shook his head "But.."

Jet couched more, "Promise me!...I don't want him on his own again.."

Aang just held his hand before it could drop from his chest.

"I promise to tell him..." Aang said.

"And...if you can...bury me with Smellerbee...Freedom fighters forev-..." he breathed the last part out in a sigh. From then on, he never left Smellerbee's side.

Katara cried by his side, and Aang put an arm around her, as did Sokka.

Daiken picked up Jet, "I will carry him..."

"I got his weapons..." Sokka said grimly.

Toph suddenly flinched, "We need to get out of here now..."

"Not without Appa...!" Aang said.

"There's no time!" Toph said, "More Dai Li or coming, and we can't fight them off AND look for Appa carrying Jet! We need to make sure JooDee and Longshot are okay! And Appa wasn't in the restraint room, so he either escaped or was moved. Eitherway we need to go, now!"

* * *

On the shore of Lake Lougai, the group burst from the water, sending the stone cap flying against the cliff side, water rushed in down the stairs they'd come.

Suddenly appearing from behind rocks on all sides was none other then the Dai Li, who erected two massive walls to cut off their escape.

Above them they saw Long Feng standing on a cliff above them, looking down at them condescendingly.

Suddenly they all heard a familiar growl, and one of the walls burst as the horned head of Appa crashed through it, sending the Dai Li flying.

"APPA!" everyone cheered at once.

The Bison, turned in the air to swoop down, making a gust of air that blew back the remaining Dai Li, and the ones trying to pick themselves up.

"No!" Long Feng said from above. He leapt from the cliff, pulling a piece of rock with him to bend at the creature.

Appa looked up at him glaring and jumped up, biting his leg and began shaking him by it like a dog with a chew toy, then tossed him into the lake...making him skid at least five or six times like a flat rock.

Sokka was the first to climb on top of their pet turned savior, "Come everyone! Move move move! We gotta find Joodee and tell the Earth king about this!"

The entire gang poured onto the back of the beast and he soared into the air, leaving Lake Laogai in their wake.


	51. Chapter 51

HELLO LOYAL FANS

Just want to thank you all firstly for sticking through, and staying with my fan fic.

Allot of stuff got in the way this year, personally stuff and college combined proved to be a formidable opponent to having time to do this.

You all waited abnormally long, longer then i asked you to anyway, and for that I'm ever thankful as the Everman.

I am writing the next 2 chapters now. (Side bar next to this tab)

And I will be updating soon. I'm not going to be so cruel to you and to myself as to say when, but ONE is finished, and is a two parter, and I'm writing that part now.

In both these chapters I am dealing with the re-union between Ty Lee and Aang that you have for so long been waiting for..in this fanfic ABOUT Ty Lee and Aang.

I realize i kept them apart for so long but there were certain cannon events I needed to take place for the story to go in the direction it needs to go into to bleed into BOOK 3 for the second part of my story of their romance, and for those to take place, I needed them apart or it wouldn't have worked.

I promise they will get back together, and there will be a chapter finale for part one that is dynamic and hopefully rending to your hearts (if you know my style).

Is it a happy ending, sad one, or just a wtf one?

Well again its not an END its an end of a chapter, so it technically isn't any of them. You'll just have to wait and see...

If you'll stay with me and my fic that is.

Again, Bless and thank you all

Everman


	52. Chapter 52

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

**Fruition**

The night they escaped Lake Laogai

_"GET UP…" Ozai said._

_13 year old Zuko lay gritting his teeth against the sparring mat, clutching his face, his flesh screaming long after his voice had stopped._

_"Do you have fight in you yet? GET UP, Face me or do not make me more ashamed to look at you as a son…!"_

_Zuko hurt so much he felt like he didn't have enough breath to speak, what's more the shock of what he'd heard, and who had done this to him already had sucked the oxygen right out of him._

_"He can't even stand, get this boy out of my sight…" He heard his father's low voice rumble over the sound of the torches on either side of them._

_He didn't know what to say, what to think…how to say it, get back up? Stand up, lay there until he was carried away._

_Finally he choked something out as he felt the mat getting pressurized near him as his father stepped over him._

_"D-daddy…" he said frailly, feeling his good eye leak out a tear before it was dried from the heat._

_For a split moment he felt his father stop over him and heard in response to it, "Just when I was hoping you wouldn't show me that you could be any weaker…" _

Zuko jolted up. His head was mopped in sweat, his heart pounded like a drum. He grabbed his pillow and used it to wipe the sweat off his face, then he noticed something, his face wasn't course, or rough over his left eye...he felt it with his fingers... nothing.

He jumped up and ran to the bathroom to look in the mirror stone, he saw his face...free of a scar! And his head...balded, and an arrow on his head. He screamed falling over backwards.

Suddenly he awoke again from the second dream he was having as Iroh shook him.

"Nephew! Calm yourself, it was another dream!"

Zuko tried roughly pushing the old man away at first but he held fast by his nephew's side, and Zuko just burried his wet face in his hands.

"Why is this happening Uncle...I've had more nightmares in two days then...Gaaah!"

Iroh:"Hmmm tell me about this one..." his uncle said kindly.

"What does it matter..." Zuko said taking a breath.

"First you say that the Avatar came as a giant statue and saved you from being burnt, then of yourself meeting a woman spirit comforting you, and then your father returning...and the one where the red and blue dragon are fighting over your soul...these dreams do not seem immaterial.." Iroh pondered.

Zuko sighed, "It's punishment uncle...I'm dreaming of my father burning me...again and again...no matter what the first dream, thats the last one i wake from..." he said breathing a little easier.

He felt his Uncle hug him, and didn't fight it, although he didn't hug back.

"You are simply going through a metamorphosis..." his Uncle chided, "This is not punishment...this is the inner battle you are having with yourself to let go...You are thinking for yourself for the first time in years...and when it is over you will be an incredible young man capable of more then you ever thought...before you ever thought your only purpose in life was to bring suffering to another..."

Zuko just rested his head on his Uncle's chest, suddenly becoming very thirsty. As if he could tell Iroh presented him with a ladle of water from a bucket he had not scene next to his bed.

He Zuko grabbed the ladle and gulped down the entire amount, then throwing the ladle at the wall grabbed the bucket and drank IT down too, allowing the water to pour down his face and neck. He sank back into his new bed in their apartment house in their new tea shop, shivering to himself, with his Uncle not leaving his bed side in his chair.

* * *

_Present day_

The Earth Kingdom Palace

A boulder rocketed past past Aang's head, missing him by inches, Appa spun in the air then corrected himself, still hurtling towards the Earth Capital.

"Good call having Longshot and JooDee hide this one out...it's far too dangerous!" Katara said over the wind.

"Yeah! It's getting to dangerous for US up here!" Sokka added.

"Can we please land!?" Toph said squeezing Appa's fur for dear life.

"We'll get picked out of the sky if we do it to far away! There's no place to land!" Sokka said.

Aang just frowned, "Daiken...take the reigns..." he said picking up his staff. Daiken took them without question and sat ready.

Aang immediately blew a gust of wind behind him, propelling him towards the ground like a torpedo. He landed, staff first on the cobble stone courtyard in the middle of where the guards had their catapults set up.

From above it looked like dropping a stone into a pool, and watching the ripples branch out, only instead of water it was earth and the ripples were plates of the ground shifting, knocking the men around him across the ground.

"I believe he has made a place for us to land.." Daiken said.

Appa set down lightly on the cracked open ground and knelt for his group to climb off his back and head.

They all began running for the large stairs leading to the front door of the Palace .

"Do you think Long Feng is with the Earth King? Or looking for Longshot and JooDee- I mean Fair?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know.." Aang said. "My money is on him being more worried about us not talking to the King then finding one person..."

Katara shrieked narrowing her eyes, "Here they come!"

What once was dots in the sky became huge boulders the size of Appa's paws. Toph and Daiken slid in front of the group and turned in unison, cracking the boulders in two and then jump kicked sending them at who was pelting them from the distance.

The movement was so fluid that the Earth soldiers had no time to react whilst reloading. The rocks hit them knocking them flat on their backs.

Soldiers came up out of the trapdoors on either side of the courtyard path, and began to shower them with more rocks.

Aang spun his staff round himself flawlessly like a propeller, without having to look behind him or away from the center, each strike breaking a boulder.

Katara simply caught as many as she could with her water spiral she omitted from her satchel, and occasionally would whip it at the soldiers, grabbing them by the face and running them into each other, or just knocking them off their feet.

Toph suddenly drove her foot hard into the ground cracking it open, the crack lead all the way to the side of the path, where the plants were protruding from.

"Daiken!" She said.

The sand bender turned to see sand bellow the hard rock and smiled.

In no time at all he absorbed an amount of it from under their feet to make a huge Sand figure, that he stuck out of, from the waist. It was likened to the Swamp benders they'd encountered, only it was a giant sandy beast, that waded along the path.

The behemoth began to grab rocks that were thrown at them and throw them back, or brush soldiers to the side like a dust mite to a broom.

Suddenly Toph felt something up ahead, it was the sound/feeling of something weighted against the ground leaving it, it was the feeling of the lionturtle statues that guarded the front door steps to the Earth Palace.

They were being bent up, and in the air.

Toph began bending the path in front of them into a wall, Daiken saw this too and sunk into his sand being, disappearing entirely.

He popped out of it's back and stood along side Toph to sure up the bending wall until it was thick and sturdy like an igloo top around them, including Appa.

Just in time, for the huge statues hurtled through the sand being Daiken had made, sending dust flying everywhere, hand broke against the hardened stone dome.

Katara ran out next, faster then the soldiers thought a girl could run, and before they could think or try to pick up another statue, they were plucked from their pedestals bye a watery arm and flung into the moat between the stairs and the path.

Aang jumped the distance of the moat and blew on it as he did, freezing the water.

"Sorry!" Aang said. "Yeah!" Sokka said, "No offense guys! Gotta warn the Earth King of a evil plot!"

* * *

JooDee lay in her bed, her head hurt, oh why did it have to hurt so much?

_"Oh Joo Dee, I think i know what can best sooth that headache..." _came a familiar voice.

"NO!" She said jolting up out of the bed, gasping. The room spun a bit then was normal. She looked to the side and saw the open window the light of the dawn was pouring in through.

In the way of this light, was the boy, _Longshot_ she was pretty sure was how you said his name. He just stood there, bow in hand with a foot on the window sill like he was ready at any moment to take aim at something outside. But he was as still as a stone, and the only thing that moved about him, was his scarf, and the reed he was holding in his hand as the wind blew. He had not taken his eyes off that reed since he'd taken it from his friend who'd died under Lake Laogai.

Oh that wretched place...she couldn't go back there now, she'd NEVER get out, not until she forgot her own name or worse. Just thinking about it made her head ache again. She put her hands on her head moaning lightly.

Suddenly she felt a hand on the back of her head. She jumped from it and looked up to see Longshot in front of her as if he'd telleported there. In his hand was a wooden cup of water. He was propping her head to drink.

"Thank you..." she said after gulping some sloppily. Water dripped down the corners of her mouth.

Longshot just dabbed her mouth with his sleeve, his eyes smiled for him, for his mouth did not. She smiled back some and put a hand on his arm squeezing it.

"Thank you..." she said.

Longshot just nodded, the reed now twirling in his mouth. Now that his hands were free he hurriedly put it in his straw hat to stay.

She looked at it and her jaw quivered. "I'm...so sorry..." she said. "I know that you cared for you friend-" Now his eyes cried, but no tears came out.

JooDee's eyes were not so immune as she put her hand to her face.

This boy, maybe 16...maybe more, had risked everything for her along with his friends...and lost two of them because. Ones she could tell were closer then blood siblings to him.

He could tell by how he looked at them as he and his friends with the Bison buried them on the outskirts of the wall. They put them in a grave together, side by side, their weapons in their hands, crossed over their hearts.

The one who had had a reed in his mouth, had a face of...not contentment but a face that said, he understood now, frozen on his face. The girl just looked peaceful, wiped of her war paint, she looked like a child thats sunk slowly into sleep without meaning too.

Now those same children who had buried them with Longshot were off, facing Long Feng to get to the Earth King. She was doing her best to hold onto the hope that they would succeed but...that man, with his voice and his mind games and his strategies...and him knowing what you were thinking before you do, that was all she had known. They had to succeed, she couldn't let him get her again, force her to do things she would never do...force her to act like they weren't done while in public.

Suddenly an arrow was out of Longshots quiver, and pointed at the Window. She sat straight up again. "What is it?" she squeaked.

Longshot put the bow and arrow away behind his back in one fluid motion and grabbed her hand.

"Come on!" He said in a firm voice as sleek polished granite, "They've found us..."

* * *

With a furious gust of air, Aang kicked the door to the throne room down, sending the two humongous slabs of gold and iron across the long long floor.

"Hi..." Aang said in a small voice, apparently sorry for making that loud a noise. Before them was the Earth King and a dozen soldiers in front of him, before them, was the Dai Li, also ready. And at the side of the King, semi blocking their view of him, was Long Feng, glaring.

Sokka spoke up before a word could be uttered or a move made. "Your highness!..." he said, dropping his weapon. "We are not here to harm you...we're here to warn you!"

"This is a fool argument to be made by the one who has burst down your door and dispelled your armies sire!..." Long Feng said to the King.

The King frowned down his small golden glasses at the children across the hall. "My councilman makes an excellent point...this really seems to fishy for me to trust that statement...and we had that repainted last week." He added the last part with kiddish remorse.

Aang spoke up next, "Sire..." The Dai Li made a move to strike, Aang simply dropped his staff and put his hands up, "I am the Avatar, we fought through your forces because there was no other way we could insure speaking with you, we knew Long Feng would prevent us."

"And with reason it would seem..." The Earth King said strumming his face. Although it did seem that the pre-mature lowering of their weapons was impressing him and annoying Long Feng.

"But warn me of what..?" The Earth King said.

Long Feng interrupted them:"Your highness, THEY are part of the terrorist cell I warned you about wishing to dethrone you...don't be taken in by their lies..." he said this in a whispering tone in the Kings ear, although it could obviously be heard by them do to the echo. He was doing it purposefully, to let them know he had the King's ear.

"They've dropped their weapons Long Feng, I'll hear them out..." the King said sternly. But it was more in the tone of being fair for the sake of it, more then believing their story.

"Your majesty..." Daiken said now. "What we are saying more then likely will most likely be hard to swallow, but your subjects and armies have been at War with the Fire Nation for nearly one hundred years, and it is about to escalate."

Daiken was right, the Earth King didn't swallow it at all. "A war...? How was I not made known of this then?"

"Because..." Aang said stepping besides the sand nomad, "The Dai Li have been keeping it from you all this time, in a conspiracy to control the city and you..."

"You realize how crazy this sounds!" The Earth King said. "I couldn't agree more..." Long Feng nodded hurriedly. He nodded to his Dai Li who bent the Avatar and Sokka's weapons away from them on the floor.

The very next action were stone cuffs hurtling for them that latched onto their wrists , holding them tightly behind their backs. "Make sure that they never see the light of day..." Long Feng sneered condescendingly. The Dai Li rushed behind the group to quickly put their stone gloved hands over their mouths before anyone could react to this.

"Please! Your Earthiness!" Aang said before his mouth was covered.

"Wait...he's the Avatar..." The Earth King said, as if trying to make sense of this, "He's very young, much younger then I recall being described to me..."

Suddenly they heard a growl, the King's bear was licking Aang's face, making him smile.

"Ohhh but Bosko seems to like him..." the Earth King said, "Let's hear the rest of you're tale.." he said, purely out of amusement apparently. This was obviously a King who's opinion could change at a moments notice like a childs, and that explained Long Feng's urgency to shut Aang up.

"But my lord.." Long Feng argued.

"The King wishes it..." the Earth King said waving his hand, resting his head on this other one. Long Feng frowned but raised his hand for the Avatar and his friends to be let lose, their mouths any way.

Once he was allowed to speak, Aang began showing the bear with "Who's a good boy? Who's a good bear-bear, your not half anything at all are you?..." and too do so, he bent the stone restraints off his hands and left them floating above his head for a while until he was done loving on Bosko, then let them return to his hands behind his back again. The Earth King couldn't help but smile from ear to ear as Aang did this.

Toph of course had been waiting to use her expert bending to do just that to escape, but Aang had done it now, and it was either accidental or genius, he had proven one...that the Earth King could trust him as apparently the bear was his pride and joy more then a cat lady's cat. And two, that he could escape whenever he wants, he just chooses to be heard out.

Aang went on, "Sire...with all do respect, Long Feng has been lying to you about more then the war. You think that this city runs like clockwork, is divided the way it is yet in unison, its because the Dai Li have been manipulating everyone, including you, to keep up a ruse. And they have far bigger secrets, like Brain washing rooms, and torture chambers..!"

Daiken and Katara winced at that, it may have not been the best time to bring up something as fantastic as a "Brainwashing room or torture chamber whilst trying to ease into someone believing you. Long Feng grinned at this.

"Brainwashing...? You believe Long Feng is brainwashing my subjects and me?" the Earth King huffed.

"No your majesty..." Daiken said, but your JooDee's the girls who go about the city seeing to everyones day, they have been imported here. Bought from a very real slavery cell for the soul purpose of being brought up to aid in the belief that there is no war.."

"We have more then one Joo Dee?" the Earth King said blinking.

"If this is the case, where is Joo Dee? Summon here here now..." Long Feng said with a smirk. Aang and his friends glared.

"Well where is she?" the Earth King asked.

Aang sighed, "She's not here, we knew Long Feng would hurt her on sight."

"Your majesty..." Long Feng laughed, "Please stop indulging these children on this perfectly ridiculous epic through fantasy..."

"This seems an awfully convenient her not being able to appear..." the Earth King admitted.

"Sire do you realize what it would mean for me to be capable of something like this?" Long Feng said again trying to keep himself from laughing.

"Capable of KILLING our friends..." Katara all but spat, with a tone that could dent steel.

"Oooh first brainwashing and now murder.." the Earth King said shaking his head. Long Feng smirked at Katara, which made her want to break her bonds and water bend his mustache off his face. But that was exactly what he want wanted her to do, for them all to do, an excuse to say they made a move against the Earth King who of course he was right next too.

Aang took up the box again, "Please your highness, we wouldn't lie to you...our friend WAS killed." He said this with the most profound honesty which did catch the Earth King's attention. "They stole our bison...to keep us quiet, prevent us from seeing you...please give us a chance to prove it to you.."

"Then prove it.." the Earth King said, it was evident he was now at least interested, he didn't believe what they said about Long Feng, but he at least knew the children had no reason to lie and was if anything trying to get to whatever it was he thought they WEREN'T saying.

Aang thought for a second. "His ankle! Appa bit his leg! Bison's saliva makes it so that mark doesn't go away right away after they bite! There's a mark on his leg that matches Appa's!"

The Earth King and Long Feng both looked at Aang as if he was insane. "I'm not. De-robing." Long Feng said. "This is preposterous, I've never seen THAT animal in my life!"

The Earth King shook his head, "I think you seem like a bunch of nice kids, but this is just too much unfounded material get through to my good senses, and I must respect the council of my adviser, who I assure you could never do such a thing."

"get through..." Sokka said under his breath, then got an idea, "We can prove this all to you!" he bellowed.

"How?" both Long Feng and the King asked at once.

"Come with us to Lake Laogoai itself! We'll prove to you he's lying!"

Right as Long Feng was about to say something Aang blew a gust of wind from his lips that blew Long Feng's rob up past his knees, revealing a huge, red tooth bite on his leg. Long Feng hurriedly shoved his robes back over his legs, his face now as red as the mark.

The Earth King had seen it however, and had gotten a good look at the size of the very unique bite mark. Aang wasted no time in having Appa open his jaws to reveal a mouth full of teeth that were unmistakably a match.

The Earth King narrowed his eyes, "Well...thats very interesting..." he said.

"Your highness...!" Long Feng said furiously, "Surely you don't!- " he was cut off by his monarch's hand. "I was saying, while that does prove one thing, it doesn't prove this... conspiracy nonsense..."

Sokka leaned forwards, "For that your Kingliness...come with us to LAKE, LAO-GAI...I promise we'll reveal the truth there!"

The Earth King thought for a moment then motioned to his royal guard, who were NOT Dai Li to release Aang and his friends. "This most certainly deserves looking into, if anything it'll put this rubbish to an end...if its rubbish.." he said.

Long Feng narrowed his eyes, and him and his Dai Li began marching their own way towards the door.

Appa lifted off the ground as Aang and his friends began to hurriedly climb aboard.

"Do you really fly on that thing?" The Earth King said enamored.

"Yep!" Aang said with a huge grin.

Sokka had the biggest look of knowing what he was doing on his face, which was always either good or bad...to the extreme.

The Earth King went to get his "Travelling clothes" as he put it.

"You've never been outside the palace?" Toph asked in disbelief.

"No..." The King said as if realizing it for the first time, "There was no reason, or..so i was told.."

* * *

Longshot and JooDee ran across the rooftops of the lower district. It was more hectically constructed, with far more corners to run around if it came to a ground run.

behind them they could see silhouettes of Dai Li hopping like crickets behind them from rooftop to roof top.

Longshot wasn't sure what he was too do, he had very few of his Arrow's back and was not as accustomed to this part of the city yet. What's more, he couldn't free run as fast as he wished for he had a woman in tow who had obviously always walked everywhere in very constricting gowns. He had had to tear her thigh line of her dress down to her feet so she could bend her knees.

Suddenly he saw a aqueduct ahead of them. He picked JooDee up, her shrieking in his ear about it, holding on for dear life, and the both of them jumped into the water way. It carried them down the city with a thankfully fast current going down hill.

The Dai Li soon reached it to, and began gliding along the rims of he aqueduct like roller blades. They used their bending to try to cause the sides of the slide to close in on Longshot and JooDee, crushing them.

Longshots eagle eyes saw something bellow. Grabbing JooDee, swung himself and her over the side, calculating their fall into a passing wagon of clothes and blankets for sale.

The tender yelled and shook his elderly fist at them as they sent clothes flying. Longshot simply grabbed JooDee's hand and disappeared into an alley.

The Dai Li hopped down from the large Aqueduct and used their bending to make he Alley forcibly bigger. They split up going in all the directions they saw it fork. The water that they dripped was of no use to them as this wasn't exactly a clean alley and the entire path was muddy and wet in all directions.

Meanwhile inside the house the Alley was next too, behind a closed door, Longshot and JooDee didn't make a sound.

Finally they heard footsteps in multitude passing them.

"Thank you ma'am..." JooDee said at last. She stood up, nearly bumping into a Sitar that hung from the ceiling, along with several other stringed and hollowed out instruments.

Their good samaritan who had let them in just bowed. Her green eye twinkled from behind her long hair.

"You are most welcome."

* * *

Lake Laogai

Katara's heart beat suddenly resounded in her ears with the sound of a gong, and her blood went still. Where a secret door used to be, there was only rocks from the lake floor, covered with reeds.

"They destroyed it..." Aang said. "They got here before us and destroyed it!" he said sinking to his knees.

"I hope that they did not seal it with whoever else was inside..." Daiken said.

"That seems awfully convenient..." the Earth King mused. "This has all been for nothing then..."

"Not exactly..." Sokka said taking the Earth Kings shoulder like a confidential pal.

Toph went over to Katara, "You okay? I could hear your heart beat skip from a mile away, and your breathing like a hummingbird.."

Katara just hugged her arms, Daiken's words of hoping no one was still inside haunting her.

"What if..there are people trapped down there..." she said. Toph sighed, "There's no way to see now...and not enough time. He won't wait for us to dig it up." she said glancing back at Sokka and the Earth King.

"..Wait REALLY?" The Earth King said suddenly, "I'd get to ride your bison?!" he clapped like a boy saying so, then quickly put his hand under his royal robes again.

"You will if you come with us...RIGHT...NOW.." Sokka said elbowing him.

"Guards!" The Earth King said mounting the beast. "Head over to the great wall! We'll race you there!"

"But your highness.." One of his soldiers protested. But it was too late, the King was already screaming YAAAAAA HOOOOOOO as Appa took him and the children over the hills of Lake Laogai.

* * *

Ty Lee stared dismally from her new cell apparently under the palace somewhere according to a guard. Only now she was tied up with Brago in the same cell.

The cell door clanged shut. "So you two won't sing..." a big burly guard said. He had eyes that didn't look in the same direction when he looked straight, only to the side.

"Oh you'll sing alright..as soon as we get word from the men up stairs to have our fun with you pretty ones..." he chuckled before stomping off.

"So..." Brago said finally. "Was that the most convincing act I'd ever seen? Or did what I hear back there actually happen."

Ty Lee didn't answer.

"I'm not one to jump to conclusions Ty Lee! You were afraid, your flighty, i understand that. If you panicked and said those things to try to save yourself...I understand that but I need to know now. We could DIE hear Ty Lee...are you with me?"

Ty Lee still didn't look his way. "I'm sorry..." she said. "I am with you..."

He breathed a little easier.

"But...I'm not going to die, if i am going to today, a liar. I did mean what I said..." she said hanging her head.

Brago blinked, "So...you were hoping to meet with the Avatar's group all this time...to, to betray us?" he said almost not believing it, or wanting to.

"NO!" she said, or choked out. "No...I just...I didn't want to find his friends. I didn't want to betray any of you...I just wanted _him_."

"To capture him for yourself?" Brago said even more confused.

She looked at him with cheeks which were formerly wet.

"Oh..." he said. "So...you did feel something for him on that blimp.." he said.

"Even before then..." she said looking at her knees. "He saved my life...so many times on that mountain...when he never had to. He's not like how our kingdom describes him. A force of anarchy or hating us or what we stand for or anything...he just wants to save people, save...me. People who don't even deserve it half the time..."

There was only silence after that. She desperately wanted Brago to say something but he didn't.

"Brago..." she asked.

Nothing was replied, until...

"If i do get out of this, I'll have to brand you a traitor...you know that right...?" he said.

She nodded.

"Then that's all that needs to be said." was Brago's last words to her.

She couldn't even tell what was mixed in that sentence, remorse or disgust or confusion or all rolled into one. One thing was distinct, pain, he was pained to say it, because she had wounded him, no matter how much she didn't mean to, she had betrayed him.

* * *

The Great Wall

The Earth King glanced at his bear, who also waved his paw's in the air, enjoying the air giddily. "You alright your majesty..." Aang asked. "Well...no Earth King has ever been too the OUTER wall, my grandfather went to the inner wall once to be cheeky but..."

Aang put a hand on his arm, "You're the King, you aren't breaking any rule, your just doing something new, and there's nothing wrong with that. And I promise, once we're there, we can prove..everything to you..." he looked at Sokka who winked at him. He had to admit, this was brilliant, tricking the Dai Li into rushing over to cover their tracks with their lake, while all the while they intended to detour to the great wall.

In the back of the Bison Toph was sitting, or rather hanging on for dear life alongside Katara who was rocking herself, her eyes on Aang.

"Katara, I think that the JooDee's were gotten out of there..." Toph said. Katara just nodded biting her lip. "What is it Katara..." Toph said.

"I can't tell you yet..." she said looking at Aang. Toph raised an eye brow at her but nodded.

"WELL...MY LAND!" The Earth King suddenly said. There bellow them, was the great wall, shining in the morning sunlight...and on the other side of it...a monstrous drill spanning long and wide like a sky scraping building on wheels, the Fire Nations black crest clear as day, reflecting on the top of its brassy dome.

They also noticed a few dots bellow, most likely Dai Li, quickly erecting walls around the machine in an attempt to literally cover it up like a block house. The moment the figures noticed the Earth King flying up ahead the dots vanished into the wall with earth bending.

Aang piloted Appa down to get a closer look at it..sure enough, it was a drill, and there were still some Fire Nation flags left UN-ripped from their poles as well as some Fire Nation helmets left in the mud bellow.

"I can't believe it..." The Earrth King said. Toph smacked her forehead, "SERIOUSLY?" she said.

"No..." the Earth King said. "I..I just can't believe I never knew...how i so BLINDLY trusted..." suddenly he frowned "GET ME TO THE PALACE!"

Aang immediately steered Appa over the wall again, and in doing so they caught Long Feng coming out of a lift on the wall.

"YOU! Stop!" The King said glaring from Appa.

Long Feng froze in his place, the Dai Li behind him kept their heads down down for their hats to hide their faces.

Appa landed and the Earth King hopped off, walking as best as he could to emulate being square shouldered.

"What...is the MEANING of this..." he said.

Long Feng's tone was calm and silky as ever, "Your highness..." he said as if to indicate using an inside voice, "This is merely a construction team of ours..."

"Really? Are we importing the crew and machinery from the Fire Nation?" the Earth King said before any of the children could speak up.

Long Feng shrugged, "You can never trust domestic machinery these days.." he said as if it was obvious. When he saw the Kings face had not changed, his own did.

Apparently he was unused to his smooth talking not working.

"Surely you don't believe these _children_ over your trusted Prime Minister!?" He said, almost angrily, "Don't tell me your such a fool as-.." he caught himself.

There it was, all that the Earth King needed to see Long Feng's long life of sweet talking as an act.

"Guards..." he said. "Place Long Feng in the dungeon to stand trial, for crimes against the Earth Kingdom...and me..."

"WHAT?" Long Feng said, boiling now. Suddenly he felt chains from his own Dai Li wrap around his wrists behind his back and pull him off.

"You sniveling, pompous little youth! You can't arrest me! You need me!" he hissed.

The Earth King just looked at him with unchanging narrowed eyes, as he continued: "...On counts of murder...kidnapping, sedition...endangering of a cute fluffy creature...and treason."

As soon as Long Feng was carted out of sight, he let go of the breath he'd been holding, apparently he had to muster up some gumption to do that.

Without a thought, the children through their arms around the Earth King in a tight hug. Except for Katara.

"You did it!" Sokka cheered. Appa and Bosko the bear growled their praise too.

"I was good..wasn't I..." The Earth King said.

"Now we can send word for Longshot to get JooDee out of hiding..." Daiken said.

The Earth Kings composure went south again... "Oh..yes...all those horrid things you said. They're true..aren't they?..."

Aang nodded seriously, and sadly.

"I'm so sorry for your friends..." the Earth King said. "And to think...something as inhumane as all this...under my nose."

"You didn't know.." Aang said, "You weren't brought up to know...it isn't your fault."

"I'm the King, I'm pretty sure that entitles me to know...or at least proactively do something to...like granddad..." he sighed.

Aang looked back at Katara, "But thank you Sire...this did hit us all very hard.."

Katara wouldn't even look at Aang. He sighed.

"..And for what? So we can call ourselves the greatest city in the world?" the Earth King went on, looking at the drill over the side. "We've just been strong armed into a city of fools, with me as the KING of fools..." he hung his head, nearly letting his crown tip off.

Sokka caught it and dusted it off. "Buuuuuuuuuuuut you can make it right!" He placed it on his head again, "Your Kingliness...ship..."

"That's right.." Daiken said. The Fire Nation means to attack on the day that astrologers say Sozens comet comes."

The Earth King sighed, "Sozens what now...?"

Daiken tried again, "It's a commit that will give the Fire Benders unbelievable power, to melt into stone like that of a volcano, they will be unstoppable, in full force. However there is a deterrent..."

Sokka took out his map, and showed it to the Earth King:" Here are the sun and the moon now, in a few days, the moon will eclipse the sun in such away, it will cut off the ability to bend from the Fire Nation. T HAT is when you need to attack..."

"I don't know..." the Earth King said. "This is so much to take in, and to put our country at war...when we're so vulnerable..."

"We're already at war Sire..." Daiken said, "And you couldn't be more vulnerable...made more so by this approaching satalite."

The Earth King looked down at the drill again, then at the children. "Very well...you have the support of the Earthen Empire..."

* * *

_The following morning at the Palace_

They had just gotten back to the Castle, no one had slept, everyone was up and about and talking about the war, and the chances of victory and how far the Avatar had come, and just how deep the Dai Li's treachery had gone.

Katara pulled Toph to the side as Aang discussed something over with Sokka, Daiken, the Earth King, and who he called the Council of Five, made up of the Earth Kingdom's generals from all five provinces.

Once behind the curtain, Toph yanked her arm away, "Okay okay I'm here...spill...your going to cut off circulation to my arm.."

Katara's voice was shaky. "I've done something terrible..." she said. Toph folded her arms, "I doubt that but i'm listening..."

"Ty Lee was in Lake Laogai..." she said in a hushed voice.

"WHAT?" Toph said blinking her unseeing eyes. "When?!" she said.

"When we were looking for Appa...the first time..." Katara said sniffling. "She was in jail, with another Fire Nation person, i didn't even see who...and they were talking and..and I was sure I heard them talking about capturing Aang and a plot...and sneaking more of them in...and other things, I can't remember now...I don't know!"

Toph took her by the arms now, "Focus woman!"

Katara sighed a shaky sigh. "So...I, I didn't tell Aang...I knew I should've but. I told myself him being hurt by finding out...that she was going to betray him."

"Oh Katara..." Toph said shaking her head.

"And that maybe it'd be best if he just thought that she was still in love with him...out there somewhere...instead of planning to capture him again-"

She was fiercely shaken by the little blind girl. "You still tell him Katara!" Toph said.

"What if she was just saying that cause she couldn't risk her friend knowing about it? You don't know, we don't know anything now! We don't even know if she's at the bottom of that lake now!"

Katara threw Toph's iron grip off of her, then hugged her arms "I KNOW! I screwed up...and now...I have to tell Aang..."

"Yes you do..." Toph said.

"Tell me what?" Aang said speeding around the corner, "Oh Katara! What's wrong?"

"Lake Laogai stuff..." Toph said. "You both need to talk...I'm...going to find Daiken.."

Aang nodded, "Well first..." he said, "There's something you need to know..." Katara shook her head, "NO Aang this...I.."

"I know Katara!..." Aang said, as if he was trying to fain being upset.

"You do?" Katara said confused and mildly horrified.

"I was silly to get my hopes up, I misread everything. You like Jet...not me. And Katara, I'm fine with that...really, and I'm sorry he's gone too.. he's such a great guy at heart...you deserved to be with someone you cared about..." he said honestly.

That just made Katara actually have to cry for a second turning, him not realizing what he had just said about being with someone you care about meant with him.

Sokka sped around the corner next. "Katara!" he said excitedly, "The Kyoshi warriors have been here the past few days! That means Suki must've been with em, and not even known we were here!"

Katara just nodded before looking down again.

"Um..." Aang said, "Why don't you go find Longshot and JooDee...Katara needs a moment..."

Sokka nodded. "Okay...right...well come on Momo! You'll find em faster'than me!"

Aang's Lemur-bat leapt from his shoulder and lead Sokka out the room.

Aang looked again at Katara, "You don't have to talk about him yet if you don't want...your healing water wasn't your-"

"This isn't about Jet!" Katara bellowed. Aang's jaw clamped shut.

She sighed, "...It's Ty Lee..." she said.

"...what?" Aang said.

* * *

Toph walked down the path of the Earth Kingdom's courtyard where his forest like gardens were, suddenly she heard a noise. "Hello..." she said straining. It sounded like a rope snapping.

"Daiken are you in here?..." she asked. Suddenly she felt something moving in the sand around here, "Daiken are you-"

Suddenly something rose undernieth the sand, something metal, that object aligned itself with what sounded and felt like the inside of a square bell, landing on top of her.

Some gears clanked and clinked, and she was locked fast in what Toph now realized was trap box, like puzzle box you could only open from the outside. Only this was metal, and she was the prize inside.

* * *

"And you didn't tell me...?" Aang said not believing what he was hearing.

"...I'm sorry Aang.." Katara said looking at her feet.

"Your saying she could be at the bottom of Lake Laogai right now?!" he said backing up.

Katara tried, she really tried to raise her head to look him in the eye, but she couldn't do it, as if she was in a kind of stocks.

"I don't know...-Oh Aang I am so sorry!" she said taking his arm.

Thats when she felt it, him yanking his arm away, and it felt like he was yanking a limb out when he did.

"I thought...I thought you..." Aang said stammering.

"I didn't want you hurt..." Katara said with as much strength as she could.

"Hurt me? Or would it have hurt you too much!" Aang asked.

That hit Katara like a brick.

"Aang, I'm so sorry- I ju-" she tried to get out.

"Help me, find her!" Aang said. The tone was angry, but it was also pleading with her.

Katara wiped her wet cheeks and nodded hurriedly. They both bounded down the hall.

* * *

"What?- LET ME OUT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Toph screeched

"We're going on a cruise little princess..." came a voice she recognized as the voice of the Dai Li brain-washer from Lake Laogai. "We've done research on you and we know you don't like water...hard to see..or rather, HEAR there isn't it?" he murmured cruelly before wrapping on the iron crate she was inside of with his knuckle.

At the signal 5 Dai Li agents appeared from the bushes and towed the crate with them out of the garden room, all the while Toph furiously screaming and banging on the hard iron box walls.

"It is done, Ms..." the remaining Dai Li said bowing towards a doorway.

Two Kyoshi warrior clad young women stepped out of the shadows, the one in front with the unmistakable smirk of Azula, "Good work...and now, I hear that you have two prisoners of ours somewhere in this castle?"


	53. Chapter 53

_Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee_

**Culmination **

A month or so ago on Mt. Feizu

Bushu the Eel Seal watched as Aang volted the lightning perfectly through the air. Here in the spirit realm, the lightning was slow enough to see moving as if it was a whip of energy...but also water, fluid.

"Good work kid..." the large mouthed spirit said, wading it's webbed paw onto the grassy shore.

"Will this be enough to save Ty Lee...?" Aang asked turning to look up at the creature. It's long neck leaned its massive head down towards Aang. Whether it was the sedation's the mountain men had given Aang or just him getting used to the freakishly grinning face of the beast, he didn't seem to mind.

"Your going to have to remember what I said..." it replied honestly, "This is the closest thing you will get to the Avatar state, without actually breaking the wall..."

Aang meditated on this before reciting, "So, I have the gate of the emotion, the gate of light, the gate of sound, and fire..?"

The Eel nodded slowly, and Aang went on, "And they represent my chakras..."

"Exactly." Bushu said, a little hurriedly, indicating they were short on time.

"So...if I've cleared all these gates like you showed, why can't I just go into the Avatar State when I wake up...?" Aang asked.

Bushu shook his large head, "Sorry bout that kiddo, but the fact is you aren't ready yet...your just now getting the hang of letting go of what you need to let go, and you need to focus on this one thing, what to hang on, and what to release...and breaking the last gate, the hearts chakra...is to let go of everything..."

Aang just stared for a while, "Just detach myself from everyone, everything? Ty Lee, Katara, even Appa?!...To be the Avatar I have to be cold...?"

Bushu opened his mouth wider then he had before saying in a loud voice, "This ain't about you becoming the Avatar kid, it's about you living through this so you can!"

Aang's mouth shut.

Bushu went on, "You wanna save her life...you wanna save yours? Just keep this in mind, how to bend relentless life...and how to let that life pass through you. Don't tense up, don't shut it out. Don't be cold, that's not the same as letting go, your just allowing it out and through...your permissing it through your being, and letting it out again...so you can absorb the life you need, that you can take...understand..?

Aang nodded shutting his eyes again. The wind picked up even more blowing the nearly transparent reeds of the spirit world about them furiously.

"It's almost time..." the Eel Seal said, "Almost time for you to come too..."

* * *

_Present Day:__The New Tea Shop_

The New Tea Shop

Zuko got up, stretching, looking at the beautiful new day it was turning into...his dreams this time weren't that bad, he was dreaming of...well flying using his fire bending from his hands and feet, of sailing over the world...above all the chaos...above the expectations. He also dreamt he saw the face of that water bending girl in the clouds who waved to him...he waved back for whatever reason...in any case, it felt like a pack filled with Earth bending disks had been lifted from his back.

He opened window and let the breeze of the day hit him. He welcomed it and breathed it in. "Your awake!" his Uncle said merrily. He was stirring a pot of broth. "What's that Uncle?" Zuko asked.

Iroh peered at it, "It's Jukoo...I'm not sure you'll like it."

Before the old man could say anymore, Zuko took in a wiff of it and held up a bowl from the table next to him, "Well it smells delicious...can I have some?"

Iroh smiled, "Was your sleep sweet then Zuko..." he said pouring some into his bowl. Zuko downed the broth and smiled "Well, I was right about being delicious. And yes my dreams were much better...thank you Uncle. You've been my mentor, doctor, and a friend when I didn't ask for one..."

Iroh smiled happily.

"Now..." Zuko said, "If i'm not mistaken, we have a tea house to serve at right?" Iroh nearly dropped his stirring spoon in the Jukoo.

"Nephew, are you sure that you are alright?"

Zuko walked over to where his Uncle was brewing a kettle, "Better then ever...you were right Uncle, I do feel different, I feel like someone who can make their own choices. And what better way to think on your life choices, by making others a little easier with some tea..." he said quoting his Uncle with the last part.

Iroh just stood there flummoxed for a while.

Before Zuko could ask "What?" he was embraced by his Uncle. "Um..thanks Uncle..?" he said chuckling.

"I am so happy..." Iroh said.

"You should be, you've lasted through my tantrums and hard times enough while trying to make a new life for me as much as you, you deserve this tea shop palace..."

His Uncle shook his head, "No I am happy that you have decided to become your own Man Zuko. What your experiencing now, this happiness? This freedom...YOU have deserved THIS."

Zuko just smiled, "Thank you Uncle." Suddenly they heard scurrying downstairs.

"Sir...sir.." came a voice from bellow, it was their doorman. "There are...agents from the King at your door..."

"Oh really?" Iroh said quickly fixing his apron. "Well well Zuko...our word has spread about this Tea Shop already!"

Zuko just rolled his eyes smiling and picked up a tray of tea as well.

They went downstairs to the second floor of the Tea House, and what they saw in the pillow room nearly made both of them drop their trays...

"Hello Uncle...hi Zuzu..." came the familiar snide voice.

* * *

_The Lion's Maw Dungeon._

Ty Lee could hear commotion going on outside the prison doors, she looked up to see someone moving past her door window. She heard a cell door open in the room next her.

"Brago...?" she asked.

There came no reply. Oh no, they'd taken him...!

"Brago?" she said standing up.

"I'm here Ty Le..." she heard a voice finally reply.

"Oh my goodness, I thought they'd taken you!..."

There was no reply again a second time.

She leaned up on her toes to look out the small window.

"Can you tell what's going on...? Ty Lee asked, not wanting it to return to the silence.

"...I can hardly be expected to tell from in here.." he huffed.

Ty Lee sighed.

"However..." he finally sighed. "Judging by the way everyone's scurrying...I think we're about to be moved again..."

* * *

_Road to the docks_

Toph could feel the metal box trap rumble and reverberate as it bounced along in the cart it was being wheeled on by the Dai Li. They were taking her to a lake, or docks, or something that involved "Drowning the little blind rat."

And as sealed tight as this box was, there wouldn't be any air eventually at the bottom of wherever they were tossing her, and any hole that was in the box, would just seal her fate all the faster. Toph tried to keep a cool head for her own sake more then anything but the truth was she was all but hyperventilating from the event. She banged and kicked against the iron trap but to no avail. What's more the chuckles of the Dai Li just got louder the more she banged against it.

The others...she had to warn them, Azula was in the Earth Kingdom, and somehow gotten control of the Dai Li.

"So what are you traitors going to do after you've made me fish food?" Toph said, banishing as much panic as she could from her voice.

"Traitors...?" She heard from outside the box, "Pah! The King's the traitor to his own Kingdom if you ask me."

Toph continued to batter against the metal box, she had to make every second she had count. If for whatever miracle she was able to escape from this, she needed to know what they were up against.

"Sounds fishy coming from someone who's taking orders from a Fire Nation Princess!" Toph said, "I'm pretty sure she's the one who deserves to be in here, we're trying to save you people _from_ her..."

She could feel the box and herself being lifted up by stone slabs and into the back of a beast drawn cart.

"She's on Long Feng's leash too...has been for days..." she heard from outside the box. Then she heard a murmur just above a whisper that she would've missed if her hearing were near any normal persons;

_"Or is he on hers...-snicker-"_

Whoever it was who whispered it was hit across the head, or pushed, or something involving a scuffle.

"So is she like the substitute psycho boss for you lug heads now?" Toph said, feeling the corners of the box to try ad find some weakness, of any kind.

"We had her in the palm of our hand, just as easily as it was to capture you..." one of them jeered. Toph rolled her eyes. This premeditated trap had Azula written all over it, as if they came up with it themselves. They were good in a fight, and at being bullies, nothing more.

"Does this mean i'll be giving you orders by the end of the day?" Toph said, kicking the corner of the box after finding no weak spot.

"Ha ha!" the driver laughed, "The Dai Li aren't trifled with Missy, this little coup you and your friends made, it ain't gonna last to sundown. The Fire Nation Princess has till Long Feng's back in power to call the shots where he visibly can't..."

Toph finished for him, "...and in return for control of the Kingdom she get's Aang."

She gritted her teeth and punched a wall as hard as she could imagining it was a rock she could shatter. And it budged, the wall budged an inch...more then an inch, it felt pliant.

She checked again and felt it, it was still hard as before, so why had it given. Suddenly she remembered how Daiken had told her he thought of sand as one big rock that's broken up, an a bolder as pieces of sand bunched together, making it easy for him to bend a solid rock as if it was liquid almost.

She suddenly felt the jerk of the cart stopping. Whatever body of water they intended as her grave, they found it.

She forced herself to calm down and breathed in steadily, she felt the wall with her fists, knocking on it lightly, she could feel...similar vibrations she felt when dealing with types of igneous rock.

She did the same with her, elbow, and her feet. The entire box was composed of...stone, of earth, just stone that had been refined and purified, why hadn't she seen it before?

Meanwhile outside the box, the Dai Li were hopping out of the back of the carriage to hoist the box off the cart and throw it into the bay. "You hear that?" one of the Dai Li said, "She isn't yapping...!"

"She probably passed out." one of them concluded, bending a rock slab underneath the box to bring it down off of the cart. But when they turned the box around, there was a Toph shaped hole in the side that was facing away...

"What in the worl-" One of them said, right before he was dealt a series of strikes from rocks from behind, launching him into his partner, and making their heads knock against each other. Toph stood behind them smirking.

The Third Dai Li hopped onto the box and assumed a solid horses stance and prepared to bend at her, but before he could, Toph ground her hand into the iron box and made the walls of it separate, making him do an involuntary splits.

She then earth slide around the two dazed Dai Li from before jumped up and kicked two rocks she bent out of the ground and sent the two men into the opened box like a goal.

The impact made the Dai Li in spits position fall down on top of them into the box. Toph hopped up onto the cart with Earth bending to boost her up, and bent the box back around them, tightly closed.

"Tell me how the water is boys!" she laughed from outside the box, and the Dai Li could feel the cart getting pushed and rolling down an incline. They all screamed louder then grown men should until they crashed, not into the water, but the side of a boat, causing the sailors inside to stick their heads out from the jerking they felt.

Toph laughed to herself and earth bent the ground beneath her to rush back the way they had come.

* * *

_The Earth Kingdom Palace _

The official guard knew nothing of this operation and the members of the Dai Li were at present no where to be seen. Aang and some other soldiers of the Earth King were exploring the opposite wing of the Palace to try and locate them. Sokka was speaking with three of the Five Generals discussing a plan of attack against the Fire Nation, and Daiken and Toph were also mysteriously missing in action.

How could a day that was going so right for them be taking a disturbing turn so quickly?

Suddenly she turned a corner to find who, but a Kyoshi warrior rounding the bend with some Dai Li guards trailing behind her.

"Kyoshi!" she exclaimed in surprise and somewhat delight.

The party stopped in their tracks and looked at the water bending girl.

"Please inform the Five Generals we'll help consort with them right aft-..." Katara suddenly noticed an iron light stand clang to the marble/jade floor, sending candles everywhere.

She only had a fraction of a second to glance around the corner at where it had fallen from to see one of the five generals being carried away by Dai Li, binding his mouth and arms and even feet with their stone gloves.

She looked to late into the eyes of the Kyoshi warrior...who gazed back with a look of passive coldness she recognized to well.

"You!- " Katara said rearing her arms back to strike with water from her satchel. But the water was used instead to block several stone fists hurtling towards her in mid air...which was all the distraction the disguised Mai needed to hurl several of her blades from under her robes at Katara's outstretched arms and posture.

Her arms were pinned by their sleeves, and even cuff to the wall.

Before she could even struggle to rip at her own clothes, she looked to the side to see a Dai Li coming towards her with an incense towel they used to sedate the JooDee's in lake Laogai..

* * *

_The New Tea Shop_

Azula had been busy these past 78 hours. Her father had always told her not to count on luck in any form, but when it did come, to analyze and exploit it from every angle until it wasn't luck any longer, but your own doing. There was no greater example then this today.

In her lap had fallen temporary control over the cities secret police, and free reign to organize his forces, and ultimately take rule over the Earth Kingdom. The soldiers she could see were cruel, systematic...but also still impressionable, still _green_ as it were...at least to the degree of resolve.

Long Feng was idealistic, and motivating, and intimidating, he was also a power figure, probably had many of the Dai Li feeling they were in his debt due to him picking them off the streets...or some pathetic reason...all which were psyche's ripe for the manipulating...and in the past few days, even from behind her cell...she had manipulated the hell out of it.

Subtle references here, a pointed question there, seeds of doubt there to a guard, not made to even sound like she was planting sedition in their minds, but to make them question their own logic of following Long Feng; make them think that it was them who thought of it..and it worked like a charm with each one she spoke to.

_"So if he's been defeated by a couple of children, and every decision of his was final, each one specifically geared to stop the Avatar...and he's in prison now, ready to turn on all of you as you say, why are you following him...doesn't seem very soldier like...if that's indeed what you once were."_

The brilliance of this was that if they thought they came up with it themselves, they would talk about it amongst the members they knew were less then happy with Long Feng's style of command, and wouldn't breath a word to their overlings for fear of being snuffed out for treason.

And now her "luck" was showing its hand. She'd originally planned to escape the dungeons she and Mai had been cast in upon being found out as false Kyoshi's and secretly arrested without the King's knowledge.

But now the Avatar had defeated Long Feng, and his brilliant plan was to use a friendly face the Earth King trusted to lead his men in his absence to give him the look of having nothing to do with the coup that would ensue. After all, she was at his mercy and she'd be given the avatar...what could possibly go wrong...? What a fool.

Now she was putting her period of sewing mistrust in Long Feng to work, presenting a new brand of taking command that would frighten them to their foundations, and inspire them past anything their previous leader had presented them with.

But there was little time for either her or Mai to gloat But for now she had a good deal on her plate, Brago and Ty Lee where somewhere in the city, hopefully with tabs on where the Avatar was, and before her now was her dear brother and pathetic Uncle.

All it took was a brief breezing over the scrolls of police reports of disturbances that matched Fire Nations M.O. to see that one of the perps had a scar on the side of his face. There was no mistaking.

"Azula!" Zuko snarled "What are you doing here...How are you working with the Dai Li!"

"Oh I know.." Azula stopped him, "They're Earth Benders, but their ferocity is SO fire Nation...OH and your under arrest."

Zuko's teeth were gritting in typical rage but Iroh simply sipped the tea cup he had caught instinctively when the tray was dropped.

"I suppose you've made quite a name for yourself..." Iroh said calmly, annoyingly so in a way that indicated he wasn't in the least bit threatened or surprised by her...she knew he did that just to grate her.

"You know, I used to be known as the Dragon of the West.." he said before sipping again. She nodded to her Dai Li to surround them, which they did in an eyes blink.

"I'm afraid I haven't the time for your anecdotes uncle..." she said boredly, keeping her eyes on Zuko, sure that their uncle was simply stalling for him to do something.

"...well just as you may be called a traitor..." Iroh said twirling the cup in his hand. "...Names are given for a reason..." and he tossed the tea cup to Azula as he said the last part.

She was going to let it drop and break, but suddenly without warning, Iroh opened his mouth uncharacteristically wide, and a flaming red fire ball spewed from his jaws, forcing her to have to bend back and flip out of the way.

Iroh turned his entire body around, making a ring of fire that pushed the shocked Dai Li back against the walls or out windows. Into the spin, Iroh Fire bent at the ones that blocked them from the back door, and grabbed Zuko's hand making a break for it.

"After them!" Azula spat!

They burst out the back door to see Dai Li charging them. Iroh bent Fire into the water trowel near them to create a puff of steam to mask them and him and his nephew dashed again to the side.

As he did he felt Zuko's hand tense suddenly as they rounded a corner, right before it yanked away. Iroh's momentum was too great and he made the jump from the ledge they were nearing to a lower part of the district, rolling onto a roof.

"Zuko!" Iroh said, "Come on!"

Zuko stood defiantly, "No! I'm done running, I'm facing Azula..." and with that he saw his nephew disappear back the way they'd run.

Iroh had only enough time to face palm before he had to jump off the roof into a bale of hay to avoid a Dai Li rock fist headed for his face.

He had counted on Zuko helping him split up their pursuers to make it to the train station, but now he would have to leg it himself...and once to safety, if he could manage it, rescue his foolish nephew from the inevitable trap Azula had for him.

His luck as it were, smacked him in the face with how hard it left him, as he rounded a corner to see an open sandy street intersection with Dai Li running from roof top to roof top around him, ready to descend like vultures. What's more citizens were about, and he could not use feral fire attacks on them...

Right as they were about to pounce, suddenly the dust from the street itself leaped up in spires, right into the confused faces of the Dai Li, knocking them off balance mid jump. The rest of the dust rose to create a sand cloud around him, sending civilians running in all directions.

As the cloud surrounded Iroh, he felt and saw a familiar dark skinned, bandaged hand yank him deeper into the smoke screen.

"This way! Where is your nephew...!" Daiken said.

"He is lost..." Iroh said shaking his head as the two ran.

* * *

_East Citidel Tower _

Aang raced from cell to cell, seeing nothing that indicated anything of Ty Lee. Several Earth Kingdom guards trailed after him. The Dai Li were no where to be seen, this was far to fishy...no one knew where they were, or where the most recent prison manifests had gone.

Long Feng was still in his cell, unmoved, and meditating, but Aang didn't believe for a second that he was idle. He knew something, was hiding something, planning something...

Did he know about Ty Lee and him? Had he broken her in those catacombs? Was she a trump card he had all along...

Thinking like this didn't help Aang any as he sped from floor to floor, but it was better then having to think about how she may be buried at the bottom of lake Laogai.

He'd had enough of this, he stopped in his tracks at the last floor, turning around to face the guards accompanying him.

"I'm going to see Long Feng..." he said, eyes narrowed. "I'm finding out where he put her..."

Without another word, he leaped out of one of the windows and dropped all 20 stories down before activating his glider, with Momo trailing behind him.

The winded guards wiped the sweat off their brows and looked at each other.

* * *

_Throne Room_

Meanwhile above them, Azula was just now walking her new Dai Li troops back to the throne room. The Earth King and his generals were in prison already, and everything else was moving like clock work, only 3 more phases of her plan really...well 4 counting the misfortune of Uncle escaping, but for now she took the time to rub the smooth gold surface of the throne of her enemy, shutting her eyes.

"Ah..." Azula said, suddenly smirking, "I see you've been let out on good behavior..."

She could hear the heavy strides of Long Feng approaching the throne room, several of his armed agents behind him trying to keep up without running. He was angry, she could tell by his footsteps.

"So it begins..." she said to herself, opening her eyes slowly...

Long Feng came to the foot of the stairs. "This is the part where I double cross you..."

Azula just glance down at him as if he was an un-owned dog on the street. "No, its more of the part where I give you the chance to tell me where my two comrades are..."

"Arrest her..." Long Feng said boredly.

* * *

_East Wing courtyard from the Palace._

Sokka ran outside the Palace pagoda, calling for Katara. No one had seen her...what's more the 3 of the 5 generals he was to meet were missing in action as well. The immensity of the palace was ridiculous, it was long another wing of the city, only it was a building. scratched the back of his head when suddenly he heard a noise and turned to his left to see Toph of all people speeding towards him like a Rhino Elk, and was lobbing a head sized rock right at his noggin.

Sokka yelped and ducked yelling "Are you out of your mind?!"

He suddenly heard a THUD as a Dai Li agent behind him was knocked unconscious to the ground, mid jump.

Sokka jumped from the surprise turning around, boomerang held high. Toph however was still in motion and stomped hard on the ground and, causing two more Dai Li to pop out of the ground like moles, flailing in the air, only to come down hard on several stone ledges which rendered them motionless after landing.

"What- wha- who?! What is happening!" Sokka exclaimed.

Several more Dai Li appeared from behind figurative shrubs, and assumed attack stance, right before a gust of wind blew them off their sturdy feet, and into a rock wall Toph erected from the ground.

Sokka blinked looking behind him to find Aang and Momo, just now swooping down out of the sky.

Toph leaped off of her rolling mound, and stood next to Sokka.

"Azula's back!" Toph said breathless. "Where are the rest of the gang?"

"Azula!?" Sokka said, still in confusion.

"And in the city!" Toph said.

"What?!" Aang said, "How is this happening? Does the Earth King know about it?"

Toph shook her head catching her breath "He's probably been imprisoned along with the other generals..." she said.

Sokka scratched his head, "Well why were these jerks trying to get us still when they should be looking out for Azula?"

Toph walked up to one of the Dai Li and kicked them awake, "Snap to it ya big lummox..." she barked.

Before he could respond, the metal of his chain links were swiftly around his own hands, holding fast, and she simply yanked the stone portion of the cuffs off to leave no chance of him using his hands.

"Where's Azula!" she hissed.

Aang and Sokka both stared at Toph, shocked.

"I-.." the Dai Li stammered.

Toph bent the earth around him to form a painful vice around him to stand him up.

"I don't know!" He said finally, she's somewhere with the 5th regiment, probably trading off places with Long Feng right now!" he spurted out.

"Wait!" Sokka said, "Why would you guys KNOWINGLY work with Miss Crazy face?!"

"In exchange for giving Long Feng the Earth Kingdom, they give her Aang..." Toph said glaring.

Aang said nothing for a few seconds, then suddenly lifted his staff swiftly underneath the man's chin to make him look at him directly.

"Where were the prisoners from Lake Lougai re-located. And WHERE is Katara..."

* * *

_The Old Kingdom catacombs_

Zuko glared as he was shoved along with two stone clamped glove son his wrists and arms, keeping his shoulders behind him in a painful position, rendering it nearly impossible to get into the state to bend. Trust Azula to think of everything...what was worse though, he'd heard how his uncle had turned tail and run off with the other fugitives...a dark skinned one that could bend the dust...

There was no mystery as to who he was, had his uncle known of their presence in the city this whole time, had it been just of him? Why didn't he tell him? Who was this kid to the old man anyway? They barely knew each other, he didn't even speak, even more so then him...

Suddenly he felt himself being stopped in his tracks in the tunnel. It was now only a few light crystals away from being completely dark. One of the Dai Li raised their arms to cause part of the wall to shift and reveal a slanted hole going down. Bellow he could make out the massive green glow bellow that resembled the light crystals that lit their way in these tunnels.

Before he could say anything his restraints were yanked off so harshly he yelled out in pain. Then he was cast head over heals down the smooth, yet rough tunnel shoot that landed him face first on the rocky ground floor at the bottom.

He heard the noise of the lid of the shoot being shut, he'd been dumped like trash into this crystal prison, under the noses of the largest Fire Nation hating Kingdom in the world, if this could get any worse...oh great, why did he just verbalize that in his mind.

Suddenly he heard a sound in the dark. He sprung to his feet, leaping up without using his hands to do so.

"Who's there!" he called into the unlit portion of the tomb like room.

"Prince...-sniffs-...Zuko?" he heard a confused and hurt voice reply through sniffles.

That voice...he knew it, as he fire bent to illuminate the dark he could see the flame reflect those same crystal blue eyes that looked back at him without fear and with what seemed like the root of contempt.

"Katara...?" Zuko said. Damn, how did he get that right? He was terrible with names.

"So what are you doing here..." Katara said in the finishing act of using her arm to wipe her face, had she been crying this whole time?

"Is this some kind of...Fire Nation trap?" she asked bitterly, "All he's done for you people...and you still hound him and-!" She flung her arms at his direction then turned harshly back towards the dark of the cave.

Zuko put his defensive stance down, "No trap." he said honestly, "At least none that isn't meant for all of us...and my uncle..."

Katara didn't look over her shoulder.

"Did my sister hurt you?" he asked, looking at the state of her tunic.

"Oh stop pretending like you care!" Katara said finally spinning around.

"Hey!" Zuko said getting a little angry himself "I'm just trying to-"

"To what? Coax information out of me again? Get me to let my guard down and betray Aang, well I'm not hurting him again! Not for you or whatever your sister has plan-"

Zuko grabbed Katara by her arms and felt an immediate reaction of struggle.

"Let GO of me!" she shrieked furiously.

"Calm, DOWN!" Zuko said, not believing it was HIM being the sober one, "I'm not here for your stupid Avatar! We came her to make a new start! I even released your bison for you!"

"You what?!" Katara stopped struggling briefly, then glared at him with those burning cold eyes, "YOU helped take him...?"

Zuko rolled his yes, "NO! d-"

he was going to say "Don't be an idiot." but the chance was lost, for when he rolled his eyes, she used the time to grab him and flip him over her shoulder in a maneuver her father had taught her.

Unlike the lesson with her father, Zuko didn't let go or tap out after she got the move right, and was now instead re-gripping just as fast and swinging her in his arms again.

"What's wrong with you!" He said.

"How DARE you ask me that!" Katara spat, "You. Your Sister...your bloody NATION...that's whats wrong with my family. You destroyed us to nearly nothing! The Fire Nation took my mother...Now my father's gone off to see, and I dont' know if I ever see him again because of-"

Zuko shook her out of her sentence by her arms saying, "At least your father WANTS to see you again! At least your mother isn't dead because of a mistake you made and you be branded for it for the rest of your life!..."

He pushed Katara from him in the last line of his sentence which made her stumble back, but she didn't jerk back up, but stared on at the Prince.

"At least you aren't the reason your mothers dead..." he said turning his back to her this time and sitting angrily on the dusty ground.

* * *

_The Throne room_

Long Feng glared back at his men, "Did you not hear me your idiots? Arrest her!" he bellowed. Only 5 out of the 22 behind him positioned themselves, and they did it wearily.

"What's the matter with you..." Long Feng said, still growling, but with a touch panic in his voice.

"They haven't made up their minds..." Azula said confidently. "They're questioning how it is that I have gotten more done in the last few hours then you have your entire campaign against a pack of children..."

Long Feng made his hands into fists hard enough to be heard, "Don't you dare speak to me like that! Your jus-"

Azula cut him off without even having to raise her voice to do so, it was like an axe slicing clean through a tree in one swing.

"What I am, is above you, and the evidence dictates...hence why your sweating. What I am, is someone who can read your entire story just by the look in those defeated eyes of yours. You were more then likely an orphan who had to claw his way to power...most likely to get recompense for having what you loved ripped from you. You are a thug, you only know how to train, and rear thugs. These men here, have seen what they can be, what more they can do. But it's under a more competent leader, one who was BORN into greatness, and doubled it exponentially as she grew..."

She rose from the throne as she spoke now, her piercing gaze gouging Long Feng's eyes like javelins, rending it even more improbable that he keep his poker face up even longer. For he was noticing that some of his men who had gotten into an attack stance at his command, were one by one lowering their hands again.

"It's seemed they've made their decision, they tire of your leading them on like guard dogs...they wish to be treated like men...men who are fiercer and nobler then any dog..."

She put one foot down on the stone stair leading down to the Dai Li, making a deafening noise that echoed in the room.

"So who will you bow to Long Feng...death, or me...?"

She enjoyed this, relished, the look of sheer panic like a sheep thats finally realized its about to be put into a fire after being shorn.

Now all of the Dai Li were looking at him too, he was in a prison of eyes. This was TOO perfect. She smirked to herself, every hour, every sentence, every seed she'd planted...while in captivity no less, had paid off in full.

Slowly but surely, she saw him sinking steadily to one knee before her.

"You've...won." he said in a voice that was both confused, enraged, and heart broken all at once.

"Don't be to hard on yourself..." Azula said stepping down the stairs, "Had you plaid your hand properly, this could've gone both ways..."

Long Feng looked up at her, "It could've...couldn't it..." he sighed out.

"No." Azula said sharply. "But, why speak ill of the dead?"

With a sudden burst of movement her heal was over her head in a HUGE ax-kick that engulfed itself in blue fire and brought itself down on Long Feng's shocked head before he could even lift his hands or complete his yell.

He lay their motionless after the *_crack*_ of his head hitting the stair finished echoing, his hair still burnt, as well as the collar of his tunic robe.

The Dai Li gawked at him, wide eyed, then at Azula who stood with her arms behind her back now, in a poised, serious position. On her face was an expression that practically YELLED for them to assume positions.

"As I said..." she said looking over her new toys, "Should I spy ANY weakness...even a HINT of it...I will stamp it out. NOW, I trust that one of you fine gentlemen, know where I can find two of my countrymen?"

"Yes sir..ma'am!" one of the Ty Lee said hurriedly. She turned to him in an obvious attempt to suppress disgust. "You may speak."

He bowed a little before continuing, "Ma'am, two prisoners classified as prisoners of war have been sanctioned in the lower Dungeons of the Lions Maw. They're to be interrogated within the hour."

Azula nodded, "Very well, let's move!" and without a word, her, Mai, and the Dai Li agents rushed off down the hall of the palace, leaving Long Feng in a smoking heap at the foot of the throne he so coveted, only a few steps away.

* * *

_The Lions Maw Dungeon_

Ty Lee paced a little in her cell before suddenly she heard footsteps, a large, bulky Earth Kingdom guard ducked to enter her cell, he had a look that suggested that his smile was for unsavory reasons regarding her, and the tools on his belt suggested that he didn't "coax" information out of people.

"So then..." he said rubbing his knuckles. "You're quite the springy Fire Nation spy..."

Ty Lee kept her eyes on him, saying nothing. "Quite the dancer I'd imagine as well..." he said musing.

She still didn't reply, and fought the urge to step back...for now, although she couldn't hide a little gulp.

"You like to dance..." he said walking in even more, his shoulders eclipsing the light of the door way. This DID make Ty Lee take more then one step backward.

"Now, about your Fire Nations locations surrounding Ba Sing Se...or the Avatar...either will help. You could dance for me if you liked...or dance at all..." he said.

Suddenly there was a distinct THUD against the wall to their left, and both turned their heads.

Suddenly a wall was bent open in the wall to reveal a chain link cuff launching out towards her arm which barely grabbed her as she flipped back.

The chain was extending from the wrist of a Dai Li guard who was now in a fierce arm lock with Brago, who just now spat out a mouth gag and yelled.

"Get OUT, NOW!" before he was elbowed hard in the face by the Dai Li guard.

Ty Lee kicked off the wall and dove to roll behind the large jailer but he kicked the stone door shut massively hard, sending dust flying, before himself standing in her path.

Ty Lee sprang up on her toes, and naturally moved to help Brago but this was anticipated by the Jailer who earth bent the stone chain from before around her legs and used them to yank her down to the ground.

"Now...about where the Avatar is..." he said.

She looked frantically to the side as she was pinned by another mound of earth by her arms. She could see Brago fighting the same treatment in the cell across from her.

Suddenly an Dai Li came in with what looked like a club mixed with a hammer.

"Now what I said about dancing...ever again..." the Jailer said, picking it up and looking at her knee caps.

At the sight of what was meant for her Ty Lee let out a ferocious scream of a shriek that she could not control.

Suddenly there was an explosion of Stone behind the guard, one of the pieces of debris hitting him across the head so hard, he vibrated a bit.

Suddenly, he was tipped over to the side by a swift THWAK of an air bending bo-staff across his face from behind.

She felt her earth restraints coming off her arms and feet as she saw the bald silhouette of Aang in the now blown open door way.

Her breath caught as she felt like a vacuum yanked her from the ground from her sheer will to get up to him. She gasped his name feeling her cheeks suddenly getting wet, "Aang!"

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, and this time instead of gagging, his arms wrapped just as tightly around her.

Her mouth was pressed against his shoulder, just whispering to herself more then anything "You came...You found me..."

Across the room, Brago just looked wide eyed, not sure what to feel as Sokka and Toph stood over him and the Dai Li now bound in the metal of the large door like a steel sweater.

"Aang I'm sorry..." she said feeling her cheek get wetter and saltier. "I-I can explain everything, I know you have no reason to believe m-"

Aang looked her dead in the eyes with an expression that meant "hush" but it wasn't angry at all. She did shush.

"Let's get you out of her first..." he said glancing from the ankle club on the floor to her again.

"What do we do with this one?" Toph said, nudging Brago with her foot.

Sokka looked down at him, "Hey at it's the guy from the Drill!"

"Aang!" Toph said to snap Aang out of his hug.

Ty Lee didn't want to look at Brago, but somehow mustered the strength to turn herself around and look at him, from behind Aang.

"That's Brago..." she said. "He hasn't hurt anyone, he was just trying to keep me safe, he doesn't deserve to be in here..."

Brago just glanced up at her with a look of confusion, indifference, with perhaps a pinch of disgust. It was as if he wasn't sure to be confused or surprised that he was seeing Ty Lee acting like she was part of the group already. Or if he should be insulted and betrayed that she'd speak to them in his behalf as if she was the one on the inside putting in a "good word for the enemy."

Aang looked down at him, with a look indicating he was seriously considering everything. "Let him go..." he said finally. "We let him go but that's it, and only after we're well on our way out...your range is pretty good Toph, longer then mine..."

Toph nodded.

Sokka rolled the Dai Li over to lump him together with the other guards, "So, she IS for sure joining us...?" Sokka asked. "What about the Terra team at the wall? What about-"

"She ISN'T, staying, in, here..." Aang said firmly, and in a voice he'd only used to show his severity about Appa when he was missing.

Toph helped Sokka stand Brago up and lead him with the rest of the company down the halls, "Come on, we still have Katara and the Earth King to think about...Azula won't be wasting time...!"

"Azula...?" Ty Lee and Brago said at the same time.

* * *

_The Docks_

The Dai Li trapped in the steel box that Toph had put them in, groaned as suddenly they felt the wall being pried open.

"When I.." one of them started, get my hands on that little blind brat-"

Suddenly he was hit in the head by the steel wall again, smushing him in with the rest of his comrades, yelling in pain.

The one who had closed the lid back over them and was now throwing her crow bar back to the ground, was Diza, the green eyed beauty from the instrument shop. She looked over her shoulder at one of the sailors.

"Their Dai Li, leave them. Be ready to make sail within the hour, if they don't show by then...we sail without them...that's what the sand bender said.

* * *

_The Old crystal catacombs _

Zuko heard Katara's footsteps nearing him from behind, "How could it be your fault..." he heard her saying finally.

Katara got no reply so she just dropped it, saying what she should have said in the first place, "I'm...I'm sorry."

Zuko still didn't respond, but he became less tense visibly, his shoulders weren't taught.

"Me too..." was all he said finally.

Katara wanted to just pace like she had been doing before she walked up to him, but she swallowed a little and knelt next to him, he didn't turn his face, or his visage to her.

Steadfast, she simply continued, "I, shouldn't have...just taken everything out on you like that. You did help us with those children after all..."

Zuko nodded a little, if anything making his hair move from his brief motion.

"What do you mean you freed Appa...?" Katara asked further.

"Who?" Zuko said.

"Appa, our bison...why didn't you just, take him." Katara said.

Zuko stayed facing away, "I thought about it, really thought about it. But...I guess I wanted a new life more. Psh I don't know..."

"How did you end up in here too...?" she asked venturing more.

Zuko looked at her finally, "I'd rather not talk about it okay, do you always have to say something?"

Katara narrowed her eyes, "Issues or no, you are NOT the only one dealing with allot today, or...or the only person with someones life on their hands!"

Zuko stood a little on his knees, "Why can't you just leave me alone! I don't need you to patronize me! Or to pretend like you care!"

Katara stood all the way up to look down at him, "Why don't you stop being such an arrogant fool and turning away when people try to help you!"

"I don't need your help!" Zuko said standing up so now he was looking down at her.

Katara's eyes were unwavering, unblinking, they bored into his glaring ones like icy blue caverns, "Tell that to Aang next time you see him, for not leaving you to freeze to death...like he probably should've..."

"I never asked for anyone's help! I'm not a weakling who needs to be told- " Zuko started before Katara interrupted him:

"Who told you you were a weakling! I said you were arrogant, and a fool! That's a big difference!...by some margin anyway. Why do you have to feel like everyone's against you somehow!"

Zuko ran his hand through his hair which had grown considerably longer since they last met.

"...Everyone's been against me since I was 11." Zuko sighed, his hair draped over his left eye that was distracting to Katara, not in a bad way though.

"Your uncle seems to care about you..." she said holding her arms.

"He's been there for me ever since mom died..." Zuko said, "He has this addled ideas about my future, and I try to live up to them...but...he just doesn't understand.."

Katara moved her hair loop to the side a little, "Why wouldn't he? Understand what..."

Zuko just frowned a bit more, "Nothing...just. He wants me to let go of father, of everything, who I am...but I don't wanna be a coward just so he'll be happy i'm safe."

Katara shook her head, "You really are thick you know that?"

Zuko turned to look at her "Excuse me?"

Katara smiled a bit without meaning too, "First you completely miss how someone obviously DOES care for you very much..."

Zuko looked like he wanted to retort something but didn't.

"...secondly you're may be allot of things, but you aren't a coward. I can tell that. Wanting to get away from something horrific like losing your mother, or your sister, or what your father's done, doesn't make you weak Zuko..." Katara went on. "And you know it.." she said..

Zuko just looked at the cave wall, this was sounding to much like uncle.

"See?..." Katara said at his reaction. She was insufferable, acting like she could read him.

"See what...that you think you know me?" he said before sighing again, "Just whatever...I..I get it okay. I've heard this all before..."

Katara stepped a little closer, "Maybe you should just let it sink in for once...?"

He finally looked in her direction again as she finished, "You aren't a coward Zuko, not for running away from this. In my opinion, I think your being very brave by _walking_ away from this..."

"How do you even do it..." he said looking down at her. "How do you not let what happened to you eat you alive...?" honestly he felt like he'd been chewed up until there was nothing left that resembled himself. Yet here she was, strong, determined, defiant, no more so then he was which was a change from Mai, but still what differed is that she seemed like she'd have no problem confronting her father..or even his. And he confronted nearly everyone, but him.

Katara sighed before looking back up at him again, "I won't lie, for a long time, whenever I envisioned a face to hate...while practicing or channeling my anger or otherwise, I'd imagine the Fire Nation helmets...or, your face."

"My face..." Zuko said subconsciously touching his scar.

"I didn't mean that!" Katara said hurriedly, putting her hand on his to take it down.

"I meant...well with how you came to our village...took my necklace and-" she noticed she was holding his hand and dropped it immediately. Zuko however was looking away again, nodding a little.

"Right..." he said, "I'm not exactly someone who walks away from things easily...and you can't walk away from this."

Suddenly he heard a *chink* noise and looked back at Katara, who was producing a small vial from her tunic, it had a small moon that looked like it was made of silver at the bottom and a full moon for the top of it like a lid, definitely of water tribe make.

"I wasn't in time to use this to save another but...it has magical properties..." she said lifting it up. "I don't have much but...it might.." -she went up to put her hand on his face with it but he grabbed it before she could raise the vial or uncap its lid with her thumb.

It wasn't a firm grab, but it was one that stayed her arm, and it forced both of them to look each other in the eye, which for some reason...felt like an age going by.

"Why are you doing this for me...?" Zuko said after what seemed like a hour to them.

"...you really aren't used to people being kind because they can be, are you?..." Katara said.

Zuko frowned, releasing her hand, which she put down.

"...No. No I'm not." he said.

She bit her bottom lip. "I just..-she sighed- "I just want to know i can help...somehow.."

Zuko looked at her confused, "What's the real reason your helping me..."

"It is the real reason!" Katara insisted, "And to answer your question as to how i'm not eaten alive, its because I have my big brother, and Aang and my friends, who don't bring me down to the dirt...like your uncle tries to do with you."

Zuko's jaw set again having no response.

"And I'd just like to help...somebody today at least somehow..."

"Your not doing so bad right now..." Zuko said.

Katara smiled a bit, he didn't smile back, he just shuffled his feet in the sandy ground.

"So what's haunting you then?.." Zuko asked putting his hands in his tunic pockets.

"I hurt Aang..." suddenly her face changed as if she was remembering something. "Can you answer me one thing..." she said.

Zuko blinked and gave a look that meant yes.

"That girl...the acrobatic one, Ty Lee..." she said.

"What about her? She here?" Zuko asked.

"Is she working with your sister still? To catch Aang...?" Katara asked.

"How would I know? Probably yeah, my sister has that kind of influence on people, why wouldn't she?..." Zuko said clearly confused.

Katara frowned a little and sighed.

"I don't know ANYTHING, about what my sister is planning!..." Zuko persisted, "Or about her friend...why is that important?"

Katara just held hear head in her hands a bit mulling everything over and then looked up again, "Nothing..." she said. "Nothing just...I'm back where I started..."

Zuko would've said something more but there was an explosion near the wall to their right which sent crystals scattered through the air.

Both Katara and Zuko stood responsively in defensive stances towards the smoke cloud.

Suddenly they both heard a familiar, aged voice saying, "Zuko?!"

"Uncle?!" Zuko said peering into the settling dust.

Both Iroh and the Sand Bender, Daiken, popped out of the new hole they'd made. Iroh rushed to Zuko, embracing his stunned nephew.

Daiken rushed over to Katara, "Katara, are you unhurt...?" he asked.

"Daiken!" Katara said, nodding a little and looking over his shoulder. "Where's Aang? Is he alright?" she asked.

Daiken shook his head, "I do not know where he yet is. Your brother and Toph are with him I'm sure. I saw some Dai Li with the woman masquerading as a Kyoshi warrior walking through the city. I followed them until I realized they were heading for Iroh and Zuko's home.."

Zuko glared a bit at Daiken, "You knew where we lived?" Iroh stifled the urge to roll his eyes. "He tried to aid our escape Zuko..had you stayed with us..."

"Uncle!" Zuko persisted, "You knew, he knew we were here, and said nothing to me about it?"

Iroh looked at Zuko a little sternly. "And what, risk you going off to do something foolish, again? What harm would it have done? To expose us would mean exposing their own plans, we have the same enemy here. Zuko.

Katara sighed frowning herself, "We need to get out of here, we have to find Aang!...Where's the knife throwing Kyoshi wannabe now...?"

"Knife throwing who?" Zuko said, very interested now.

"It appears you met Prince Zuko's old childhood sweetheart..." Iroh mused.

"UNCLE!" Zuko growled through his teeth. "Wait she's here?!"

Even though Katara couldn't see herself, she was frowning even more now. "You were DATING her?" she said.

"And why wouldn't I?" Zuko snapped, "What's it got to do with you!"

Katara tried moving around Daiken to get to him, "She's the sweety who pinned me to the wall before I was knocked out. And then dumped me in here! AND apparently you!"

Zuko just glared at everybody. "I have to speak to here..." he said moving towards the tunnel leading upwards that Daiken had made.

"Zuko..." Iroh said shaking his head, "Now is not the time, she is currently on the sides of the reason why you and I are wanted men.."

Katara sighed moving from around Daiken, brushing past his shoulder "Come on, we need to find Aang..."

Daiken could tell by her body language she was upset...more then likely from processing that he knew about Iroh' presence and didn't alert the rest of the Gang.

"You can go hunting for him later..." Zuko said frowning, "I'm finding Mai!..."

"Right...that's her name." Katara said folding her arms.

Daiken sighed and spoke up, "Not that way..."

They both turned to look at him from the tunnels mouth, "What?" they both said annoyed.

"That is the way we came.." he said trying not to stress the obviousness, and it will be discovered sooner then later by our pursuers. It would be better if we took a more unpredictable route out..." he said pointing to the crystal catacombs stretching on throughout the cave like a maze.

Zuko huffed and stepped out of the slanted tunnel back onto the ground.

"He is right nephew..." Iroh started before Zuko brushed past him, "Of course you say he's right..."

Iroh sighed watching him go after Daiken, Katara put her hand on Iroh's shoulder, "Thank you for coming for us..." she said offering a small smile.

He grinned at her with one that made her own smile grow a bit, "It is my pleasure. Our enemy is the same, and it is good to see you all, again.."

Daiken lead the group into the tunnels, shifting his feet, and his hands along the stone.

"So how long did my uncle know you were in the city...?" Zuko asked while they were up ahead.

"I do not know." Daiken said flatly. "I did not ask him, and I did not say."

Zuko balled up a fist at the reply, as well as it's tone.

"Is there something on your mind you'd like to share...?" Zuko said.

Daiken didn't turn his head around to look at him once.

"Yes, I do, but now isn't the best. So for now, all thats on my mind thats important is getting us all out of this maze before its flooded with your sisters new earth bending goons..."

Zuko wanted to bark something back but bit his tongue as he heard his Uncle and Katara nearing them.

"So how did she get a hold of those rock slaggers anyways..." Zuko murmured.

Daiken shrugged, "I really could not say, perhaps she has something they want. More then likely it has to due with the cue we initiated. Now, Iroh, I will be needing light this portion of the journey on, not many crystals this way, and i'll be making the tunnel bigger."

Iroh nodded and walked past both of them, flame cupped in his hand to light the way.

Daiken started to bend the sand bellow their feeet and swirl it around the tunnel walls until it acted like a sander, and smoothly sanded the path until it was larger and moving forwards like a drill made of little pieces of white sand.

"So..." Zuko said, now that he had switched places with his uncle next to her, "Mai pinned you down...?"

Katara frowned again, "Yeah...she got the drop on me.."

Zuko scoffed a bit, more at a thought he had then at her or what she said, "Yeah, she does that..."

Suddenly there was a loud CRASH that sounded like stones shattering crystals echoing from somewhere behind them in the caverns.

"It would seem sufficient to burrow faster Daiken..." Iroh said looking over his shoulder.

* * *

_A few moments earlier._

_Above the old city of crystal: The Earth Kingdom stone courtyard impound._

Aang leaped into the air and slammed his staff down onto the ground making an entire row of large cobblestone slabs lift up out of the ground towards the Dai Li and Earth Kingdom soldiers trying to pursue them.

Sokka hurtled his boomerang at an air born Dai Li, who blocked it to the side with his stone cuff.

However Ty Lee flipped off of one of the rocks Aang was bending, caught the Boomerang in the air after it had ricocheted, and threw it at the back of the Dai Li's head, konking him out.

She landed on her feet, catching the boomerang again as the Dai Li fell to the ground unconscious.

She handed the tool back to Sokka who took it with narrowed eyes, then slowly replaced it with a thumbs up.

"Boomerang seems to like you.." he said smirking a bit.

"Come on tinkle toes!" Toph said, slamming her foot into the ground to cause a massive rip to form from the stone ground before him, into the building ahead.

The wall split in half revealing a frightened squeal of the Earth King and his bear Bosko.

"Avatar!" the King called out "Bosko's been so frantic, I don't know how to console him, the entire palace has gone mad! Who's that with you? Why is his hands tied-"

he was referring to Brago, who's hands were still metal bent behind his back. He hadn't struggled the entire time or said anything.

He was interrupted by a platform of earth that Toph used to bend him down to them out of his locked room.

"No time for that now, we need to get you out of here..." Aang said, and blew on his whistle.

They all rushed around the corner where they tried to catch their breath.

"You sure its around here?" Aang said.

"Yes..." Toph guaranteed "There's definitely an old city bellow this point...I could feel it while we were fighting.."

Sokka knelt down, "So that's where Katara would be?"

"Somewhere down there..." Toph said.

"Look!" Ty Lee said, pointing further beyond the alley way.

Sure enough, there was a mound of earth. As they neared it, they saw a smoothly made hold in the ground leading downwards at a slant, drilled.

There was sand from the garden next to them leading into the hole.

"That's Daiken's M.O." Toph said triumphantly. "Let's get down there!"

Suddenly they could hear the faint roar of Appa in the sky.

"Okay.." Aang said, he's almost here. Sokka, you need to take the Earth King and Toph for protection to find Longshot and Joodee. I'm going down there to look for Katara..."

The Earth King rubbed his head, "All this madness, and under my reign...my advisors a traitor...Kyoshi warriors hold my palace hostage..."

The moment he said that, Brago's eyes lit up, and he suddenly jumped knees to chest to get his arms from behind his back, then kicked out again, to knock Sokka into Aang, and in effect into Toph.

The Earth King shrieked covering his face at the violence at first.

Ty Lee did a flip over the toppled friends to launch herself at Brago, but he had grabbed dirt when he landed on his hands and knees, and had now thrown it into her face making her cough and blink.

Brago ran towards one of the sewer grates that they had passed in the battle and shot down one made big enough from battle, and was gone.

Aang stood up hurriedly, helping the rest up.

"Brago..." Ty Lee said sadly.

"He went into the sewer!" Toph said.

"After him!" Sokka said but Aang grabbed his arm, but before he could verbalize it, they heard "There's no time!" from above.

They all looked up to see Appa descending on a roof near them, and Longshot riding him.

"Longshot?" Aang said, "Appa found you?"

He nodded, "Good thing he did. Joodee's safe for now..hopefully, but I had to move!" he said pointing to the horizon to the West.

They saw black smoke.

"What..." Sokka said stunned.

"Fire Nation..." Aang said.

"They're working with the Dai Li, they've brought down the wall!"

Toph nodded as he finished, "I can hear it, I can feel the running in the lower levels of the city...the Tank treads...the people screaming!"

Ty Lee clapped her hands on her face.

Sokka looked at Aang, "What do we do?"

Aang shook himself out of it. "We, we find Katara...get the Earth King out of the city with all of you, just like we planned. Then we meet at the reservoir on the East side of the wall..that part won't have been taken over yet, and its near the sewer pipes that spill into the sea so..."

Ty Lee put a hand Aang's shoulder, and he looked at her. "I failed, I failed this city..."

"No. I did..." the Earth King said. "You were right...we need to move. Bosko give me a leg up. Bosko?"

Toph rolled her eyes and earth bent both him and the bear onto Appa's back, who knelt for them on the roof.

"I should go with you..." Toph said.

"No you need to stay with Sokka, Ty, and the king in case your grounded." Aang sighed. "Daiken'll be down there, so I'll have help I'm sure..."

Toph rubbed her eyes, and Aang put his hand on her arm, "I'll make sure I find him, I promise...besides i'm pretty sure he's already found a way to get back to us, we don't leave the city without either of them..."

Toph nodded and took Sokka's hand as he helped her up to the Roof where Appa was.

"You too..." Aang said, with serious eyes.

"I just found you again..." she said sadly.

"I AM coming back..." Aang promised. "Please..."

Ty Lee hugged him again and bounded up to the level where Appa was.

Aang took a deep breath then wind bent a running speed, running down the hole in the ground, making a Crystal shattering noise breaking through another wall when he reached the bottom.

* * *

_Presently, back in the old crystal city._

Daiken bent as quickly as he could, turning the rocks before them into smaller rocks, and using those to help funnel a path through the earth. All the while Iroh lit there way.

Katara and Zuko were walking backwards after them, ready to attack if the need presented itself.

"They're getting closer..." Katara said.

"According to the Dai Li me and Iroh interrogated..." Daiken said, "We should be breaching the new wall soon. I'm working as fast as I can manage.."

"Well you may have to move a little faster..." Zuko huffed putting his fists up for whatever was nearing them.

"Katara?" they heard a voice call out to them, "Daiken!"

Daiken and Katara both stopped.

"AANG?!" Katara said over joyed.

Daiken turned around from his drilling as Katara sped down the corridor towards where Aang was just now running around the corner.

The two embraced heartily.

Zuko looked on glaring at Aang, Iroh smiled.

"GAH!" Aang said seeing Zuko.

"It is alright..." Daiken said, "They are on our side, the Dai Li hunts them just as they hunt us."

"It is a pleasure to see you again.." Iroh said bowing a little. Aang did manage to smile at that, though he still kept an odd eye on Zuko.

"You're alright...?" Aang said turning to Katara. She nodded, "I am...Aang I'm so sorry for everything I-"

"It's alright Katara..." Aang said, "We don't have time to be mad, or anything. Ty Lee's been found we need to move towards the East side of the city so we can get to Appa with the others.."

Katara blinked "Oh...right." she shook her head a bit, "Well good! She's alright then she wasn't under lake Laogai?"

Aang shook his head.

"What is going on up there?" Daiken asked.

"The City's being over run..." Aang said.

"What?..." Katara said wide eyed.

"We have to leave the city. Now!" Aang persisted.

Daiken nodded and heel kicked the wall before them for the last of the drilling he'd been doing. It spun and shattered with Crystals tinkling to the rocky floor, revealing an open area lit from dozens of Crystals from above, with several passages ways leading in all directions. However this chamber had crafted pillars at the entrances marking where they should go.

Aang looked at Iroh, "How are you two getting out...?"

Iroh looked at his nephew then back at Aang, "We have arrangements to leave.." he said.

"Arrangements uncle...?" Zuko said.

Daiken cut in "For the sake of time, and so that there isn't a question of trust anymore, I'll speak out. My father was a member of the White Lotus..." he took his scarf down off of his neck to reveal the words "White Lotus." He also unwrapped the desert wrappings around his hand to reveal a white lotus tattoo.

Aang's eyes grew along with everyone elses' be it shock or confusion.

"That is how I knew Iroh...or rather he knew of me. As all in my order we're dedicated to peace and its preservation, and same goes with the safety of the Avatar. I've been traveling with you these many days to see to your safety."

Zuko frowned at his uncle, "I knew there was something between the two of you..."

Daiken ignored this and continued, "There are a few remaining members throughout Ba Sing Se, also leaving as I've been informed. They have a boat near the South Eastern side of the wall, its small, disguised, and will take 4 more passengers."

Daiken was speaking of Diza from town in the music shop, but no one but Iroh knew this.

"Please nephew..." Iroh pleaded, "I knew this was nothing that you needed to be bothered with.."

Zuko turned on Iroh with a glare, "Why? You were afraid of what I'd do if you knew they were in the city? Because I'd fail you again?"

Iroh rubbed his temples, "Because, I wished you to finally be free of what is tormenting you day and night, i thought this city, could be a way for that..!"

Daiken again interrupted, "Regardless of reasons, if you two are to leave the city, you have to leave now.."

"Thank you Daiken..." Iroh said smiling.

Aang just blinked. Daiken turned to Aang, "Forgive me Aang, I was sworn to secrecy..."

Aang just nodded quickly knowing he'd have to process all of this later, "Let's just get to the Eastern wall where the rest are waiting..." He took Katara's arm and the two ran down one of the tunnels.

Daiken gave one more apologetic look at Iroh, then looked at Zuko. "Your uncle is a good man..." he said seriously, not many like him anymore."

With that he disappeared after Aang and Katara into the cavern.

* * *

Ty Lee sighed, leaning out of the basket saddle on Appa's back. They circled the spire tower of the Earth King's court yard before preparing to fly towards the Eastern wall.

"...So your the real deal..?" Toph asked.

Ty Lee looked over her shoulder at Toph, and nodded.

"How do you know that guy back there?" Sokka said. "He was the one who helped us with saving the children from the Mountain Ghosts."

Ty Lee did remember Brago mentioning _running into_ the avatar's band while doing that.

"He helped you guys?" she said, then sighed, "Well that sounds like Brago...he always was confident and brave like that...I didn't want to hurt him like i did today.."

Toph could tell she was being honest. "That was a big leap you took. And Aang puts allot of stock in you I guess he's...-"

"No!" said Ty Lee suddenly, interrupting Toph.

Before anyone could react, they saw Ty Lee flip herself out of the basket saddle and off of Appa's back, falling head first down, down.

"CRAZY WOMAN!" Sokka said, grabbing in vain for her. The Earth King held him from falling out himself, and Bosko the bear bit onto the King's cloak to keep him in balance as well.

Ty Lee landed perfectly onto the roof she was leaping towards and rolled into it. She then bounded from one roof to the lower one, on her way back down to the ground.

"Do we go back for her?" The King asked confused.

"We can't..." Sokka said pointing towards big black shapes appearing in the distance. "Air ships..."

Meanwhile, bellow Ty Lee ran faster and faster to jump to the ground where she had seen Azula following a group of Dai Li that were tunneling at a rapid speed, a little ways ahead of the tunnel that Aang and Daiken had made.

* * *

_The Crystal Catacombs_

Iroh and Zuko ran along the darkened tunnel using their bending to light their way.

"Nephew!" Iroh said. "Please, answer me...!"

"Why are you talking with me, I'm surprised you didn't ask that Sand nomad to tag along, he'd help us out even more..." Zuko said.

"Zuko!" Iroh said sternly, "This is not about me telling you or not whether the Avatar was here..."

Zuko just legged it the faster, "Whatever...Let's just get to the stupid- "

-BOOM-

Suddenly the wall near them exploded, sending shards of Crystal everywhere.

Iroh flame bent to blast several headed straight for his head out of the way.

But with a whip of motion, several shards formed strong encasing's around his feet and arms from the ground up.

"Uncle!" Zuko said, about to bend a fireball to break his uncle out, but before he could let the strike fly, a blast of blue flame separated him from his uncle.

"Yes, Uncle..." came the ever mocking voice of Azula. "I expected this sort of treachery from him, but you Zuko. Despite all your flaws i thought you more grown up then this. Your allot of things but a traitor isn't one of them. Not my brother.."

Zuko gritted his teeth, his fists in front of him, "Release him, NOW!"

Azula waved her hand and the Dai Li agents behind her...withdrew, at her command.

Her face was uncharacteristically, concerned, serious, but not maniacal.

"This isn't too late for you Zuko...you can still decide to redeem yourself. Even Mai believes you can..."

"Zuko!" Iroh called from his restraints, "The redemption she's speaking of, it is not for you!"

Azula just raised an annoyed brow, "Why don't you let him decide for once uncle...instead of dragging him around with you like a pet..."

"He does not- " Zuko started, but Azula wasn't done.

"...trying to use him as a way to remember his own son."

Iroh's eyes burned with a rage that Azula had never actually seen before, it nearly made her blink. Zuko however had his back turned, so he not seen it, thankfully for her sake.

"Zuko..." he said, his voice dripping with anger and concern. "Please. Do not let her do this to you, don't let her reconnect your chains..."

Azula simply waited for him to say his piece then spoke in her turn, "You can have father's love again, EVERYTHING back, all you've been put through, you'll have what you deserve...everything you were denied."

Zuko opened his mouth to speak but each time he did, something she said stole the breath right out of him.

"I've planned every moment of this day, one that could be the most glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way it works, the only way we get to please Father, is together..." Azula said, her voice still softer then it usually was, what's more it sounded so genuine it was unnerving Iroh. Not cause he believed she wasn't seeping her poison into her brother, but because he was realizing how good she was at it.

"Zuko..." he pleaded, "I am begging you...Be free of this, of all of it. Do not throw your life away!"

Azula sighed sadly, "The choice is yours brother...Mai is upstairs with the five generals discussing terms of surrender, if you want to see her. I'm going after them."

With that she simply walked past Zuko, steadily and quickly towards the tunnel Aang and Katara had gone down.

"Zuko..." Iroh said as she left.

Zuko didn't even flinch, it didn't even look like he was breathing, as if he was petrified in his place.

"Zuko?" Iroh said hoping he didn't see what he feared he would when he turned his face.

* * *

Aang and Katara, and finally Daiken came out of the other end of the tunnel, revealing a completely chizzled and crafted room, lit with Crystals so brightly it was like the lit room of the palace.

Waterfalls streamed from two statues leading to the ceiling, they flowed into two angled pools that snaked around the massive room making the shape of the Earth Kingdom crest.

"There!" Aang said, "Those Water falls must lead from the stream on the Eastern part of the wall!-" Suddenly they heard a -VOOSH- as Katara bent water from the pools to block a blue fire ball headed straight for Aang.

It turned to steam in Aang's face but he felt the heat from it, coughing.

Aang, Katara, and Daiken backed up away from the steam cloud, arms out and ready, ready for when Azula burst from it.

But instead Aang heard something to his right. Sure enough he saw Azula leaping from a rock spire she must have shinnied up while they were dodging.

She was bending rapid fire blasts at them both while being air born.

Aang and Katara both bent water from the pools now and easily blocked the fire balls, sending streams of ice at her afterward.

Azula burnt/melted them in mid air, and landed on her feet with both her hands pointing her two fingers at Katara and Aang. They could see on her face, she was not expecting them to be as trained as they were.

Daiken was now positioning himself, circling Azula to force her to turn her back to one of them.

Before Katara could lob a huge globule of water at her, it was burst into steam in mid air by a flash of yellow and red flame from their left.

Both Aang and Katara looked to see Zuko speeding at them, using Fire to propel him forwards.

"Zuko!" Katara said, surprised, and enraged.

Zuko just continued to blast flames towards Aang in a flurry, allowing Azula too pelt Katara without distraction now.

Daiken bent a crystal near him but his hand was suddenly latched onto by a chained hand cuff from a Dai Li agent, also emerging from the tunnel opening.

Aang glared at Zuko, first dodging the flames as they came. He could tell that he was getting him away from the water, but Earth was something he had not yet seen him use at his fullest.

He suddenly instead of dodging, stomped on the ground making the rock floor bellow him morph until it completely covered him with stone like a suit of armor, making the flames bounce off of him, this did surprise the Fire Nation Prince for a moment which was all Aang needed.

He then glided along the ground like a wheel, bending rocks from his new armor at Zuko, putting Zuko on the defensive.

He noticed out the corner of his eye that Azula's foot was caught in one of Katara's water arms, and now her hand was as well.

He did a flip kick in the air, kicking a fire whip through Katara's hydro arms, freeing his sister, then began attacking her instead.

Without having to be signaled, Azula switched gears and ran at Aang now that she was free, and began pelting Aang with much stronger, much hotter flames.

Aang was once again put on the defensive, his speed was going to be needed again, and standing still would put him in the palm of her hand.

He slipped out the back of his rock suit and kicked it at her, making it form into a boulder.

Azula simply kicked through it with a burst of blue flame, and ran through the pebbles she made from it towards the Avatar.

"I thought you changed!" Katara said, "I thought you wanted to be different!" she said.

"I have changed..." Zuko said. "I'm not chasing a dream like a carrot anymore!..."

Suddenly, before Katara could lash out at him with a water spire, her ankles were grabbed by yet another Dai Li's chain from more agents emerging from the dark.

Their chains were sliced by a wedge of sand, like a whip.

Daiken stepped in for Katara to get her footing. He threw the Dai Li's robe he had taken from the one he defeated. It floated in Zuko's line of sight, making him set it instinctively on fire.

The moment his vision was cut off from Daiken, the same stream of sand burst from the flaming cloak, some of it crystallized by the fire, smacking Zuko across the face.

"Your exchanging one carrot for another Zuko!" Daiken said.

"SHUT UP!" Zuko growled holding his face from the sting, then savagely bent flame after flame at the Sand Bender.

Katara meanwhile was contending with the seemingly multiplying Dai Li who were attempting to corner her against one of the statues.

Aang was simply attempting to hold his own against Azula who was maneuvering him to turn his back to the Dai Li as well.

Suddenly their was a gust of flame from behind Daiken which hit across the shoulder, sending him spiraling away from Zuko.

Fire Nation soldiers were now pouring in after the Dai Li.

They were outnumbered...and he wasn't strong enough to fend off all of them, neither was Daiken or Katara.

Aang knew what he had to do...but he remembered what the water spirit had told him...to save Katara, to save his friends...he was going to have to let them go. Let Ty Lee go...he wasn't sure how, but it was the only way."

"I'm sorry Ty..." he said.

He suddenly dropped into a cross-legged position and made several crystals form around him to make a jagged dome, then meditated...

His arrow began to glow brighter and brighter, the sounds of fire bombarding the walls got fainter and fainter to him.

Suddenly he could hear the sounds of the spirit realm again, sloshing waves at his feet, he could FEEL energy around him again.

Meanwhile outside the dome, the Dai Li and fire nation were noticing that the light within it was shining blindingly bright, making them back up.

Daiken, who was now next to Katara using his good arm, noticed the light and smiled.

Katara also grinned as suddenly the dome shattered from an explosion of white energy as Aang ascended above the heads of everyone, eyes glowing bright in the Avatar state.

Suddenly Katara's eyes caught another point of light. In what felt like slow motion, she turned her head to the left to see a lightning spark ending at the end of one of Azula's fingers in a strange kata like dance. She was about to bend right at Aang, and he was to absorbed in his state to notice anything in his blindside!

She yelled out for Aang to "LOOK OUT!" but Azula was already extending her arm to shoot the bolt at Aang's heart/and or head.

She began to extend her arm to send two massive bolts, towards Aang.

What would've been "LOOK OUT." turned into "NO!"

But Katara heard her cry being joined with a similar exclamation as she suddenly saw Ty Lee leaping over a Dai Li's head in a flip, pressure pointing him as she did.

She landed next to Azula, pressure pointing her in the side.

"NO!" Ty Lee finished screaming.

The Lightning bolt traveled out of Azula's flailing hand, going across the rock wall behind Aang like it was being dragged. As a result the two bolts grazed Aang, as opposed to hitting him square in the chest, but they did go across his middle making him buckle in the air like a paper doll, then fall..

Everybody looked in shock at Ty Lee standing over Azula who was flinching and twitching on the ground from the electricity exiting her in a way she wasn't expecting.

Behind Ty Lee was a trail of Dai Li, and Fire Nation soldiers numb and on the ground leading back to the darkened tunnel entrance.

Katara didn't waist any time but used the distraction to Water bend the water near them from the pool to wash over to where Aang had fallen.

Azula twitched a little and looked up at Ty Lee who backed away from her, seeing a look of hate worse then any of her nightmares.

"KILL HER!" Azula suddenly roared in a echoing voice.

Before any of the Dai Li could bend at her, or even any of the Fire Nation, Red Flame slashed the entire row of guards cuffs, making them put them out hurriedly.

Iroh suddenly hopped into view.

"Go!" he said to Ty Lee and then to Katara and Daiken over Aang.

"Uncle!" Zuko said in shock.

"I will hold them off, get out of here!" Iroh said, performing several techniques of amazing bending to counter and attack troops from either side.

Ty Lee blinked for a little bit then said "Thank you..." and sped towards Aang and Daiken and Katara.

Katara was cradling Aang in her arms.

"He isn't breathing..." Daiken said.

"No!" Katara said wildly.

She used the waterfall behind them to bend them up towards the opening in the wall.

"Aang!" Ty Lee cried after them. Katara looked down at Ty Lee then flicked her wrist looking back towards the opening again.

Ty Lee was about to cry again...when suddenly she felt a water spiral pick her up like a hand and lift her up after the rest of the group into the waterfalls maw.

As soon as Iroh saw the children were safely away, he began allowing himself to be pushed back.

He noticed a flame of friendly fire heading towards the fallen Azula, and kicked out to take the flame out of its path.

He then put his arms down and allowed himself to be imprisoned by crystal by the Dai Li.

No one had seemed to notice his last act of mercy...except Zuko, who just...stared, then saw Iroh do something he didn't think would hurt, or pain him as much as it did; Iroh looked away in shame at Zuko.

* * *

_The Eastern side of the wall. _

Daiken now had Aang on his back as he, Katara, and Ty Lee excited the tube l leading from the river that flowed into a water fall for the underground city.

Katara took her water bubble away from them as they surfaced, and waved her arms at Appa who was hovering in a pattern over the opening, murmuring frantically along with Momo.

"AANG!" Sokka yelled. "What happened!"

"I smell burnt skin..." Toph said, her voice catching.

"Help me get him on Appa's back!" Katara said through tears.

As they flew away on Appa, Daiken and Katara helped steady Aang. Appa, knowing something was a miss, flew as steadily as possible to keep the ride smooth.

Daiken ripped off Aang's shirt to reveal the mark Azula's bolt had left on him. It had hit him in spurts as apposed to directly. He had a scar on his chest, shoulder and even his chin it looked like.

"It's very close..." he said. "Just missed the heart by a fraction, but somethings torn in him, and I have nothing to help the wound!"

Ty Lee's tears were streaming now, "No..no..." it couldn't end like this, not with her just getting him back.

Without another word, Katara took her healing water from around her neck and applied ALL of it to Aang's wounds.

"Aang..." Ty Lee said. "Aang please wake up..." she pleaded holding his hand as Katara worked. "You can't leave us. You can't leave Katara... we need you to much.." she said sniffing.

Katara's eyes dilated momentarily hearing Ty's words but kept focused.

The last of the glowing water seeped into Aang's flesh and vanished.

After what was the most painful 8 seconds in the world, Aang suddenly began to flinch.

"AANG!" They all said in unison.

Both Ty Lee and Katara resisted the urge to snatch him up...so as not to jostle him to much, but Sokka had no such self control.

"AANG! OH BUDY!"

It was short lived however for he was yanked off roughly by Toph. "Give him. Some. Air..." She said through her teeth.

Aang groaned a little blinking his eyes open.

He saw Katara and Ty Lee over him, one on either side of him.

"Oh Aang..." Katara said gingerly.

Ty Lee bit her lip, "Are you alright...?"

Aang looked at them both squinting his eyes, "Huh...?"

Suddenly he felt his temple with his fingers "AGH!" he said flinching in pain.

"Aang, no, don't move to much.."

"Who are you? Who's Aang..." he said looking at both of them confused.

Ty Lee and Katara both stared horrified at him then at each other.

* * *

End of Part ONE

next chapter: PART TWO: BOOK OF FIRE


	54. Chapter 54

Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee

_**Reconnection  
**_

Aang woke dismally blinking his eyes, the room spun to him, everywhere seemed to have a red tint to it.

"Aang...AANG!" he heard a distressed voice call out, he turned to his left to see a girl, darker in skin tone then he with even darker hair tending to his head...OW, why did his head hurt so much..?

"Who are you?..." he groaned, "Wh-where am I...who are you-..." his words became mumbled together, it hurt to much for him to think.

"Just lie down alright Aang..." the girl said making sure that he laid back against his pillow.

Right before his eyes blinked shut for the final time, he saw the blurry image of someone, a girl in the corner of the room looking directly at him, biting her nail.

He moaned a little before losing himself to sleep again.

After what seemed like no time at all a voice echoed in the darkness "Avatar..." it said.

He opened his eyes and he was in the dark, floating, hardly clothed save for his loincloth.

"Avatar..." came the voice again.

Aang spun around to see the tall glowing figure of a bearded man in flowing robes.

"Avatar...?" Aang asked, his head beginning to sting. "What does that mean, does that mean me...?"

"You are slipping Avatar..." the figure said, when ever he said the word avatar, it sounded like his voice was garbled as if by the wind, or something blurring out whatever he was saying after Avatar, or maybe it was that he wasn't saying Avatar at all, but it sounded like he was. Whatever it was, thinking about it made his head hurt all the more.

"Slipping..." Aang repeated.

"Yes, you are in a fight for your mind." the figure said. "You were taxed mentally and emotionally at the peak of your Avatar State, and then were nearly killed."

Aang blinked "Avatar...state...?" that did sound familiar.

"You have been sleeping for a long time Avatar..." the figure replied, "..and this is not the first time you've reached out to me..."

Aang opened his eyes wide, "I, reached out, to you?!" he said not understanding fully.

Suddenly there was an ear piercing GONG noise that made Aang grasp both his ears from the pain. The Gong went off again, then he recognized it, it was the sound of the bell at the Eastern Air temple.

Wait, air temple...he was an air monk! Right?

Suddenly with a flash of light and a blur of motion, he was in a field on a hilltop, surrounded by white flowers. Children with their shaven heads ran about in the fields gathering them and weaving them into shapes and designs.

One ran right by him, or through him by how it seemed. He could've sworn he recognized one. She still had her black hair in the back of her head tied into a pony tale but the top of her head was completely shaven.

"Look what I found!" she said producing a flower with streaks of blue on the inside.

"Give me that!" A larger child said, snatching it from her.

"Hey thats miiine!" she wined. But she was pushed over by the childs air bending on to her seat as he ran off with some other monk-lings to play.

She sniffed to herself and then suddenly felt a hand on her back. "Hmm?" she said turning around and wiping her face with her sleeve. Aang suddenly looked from her to see a boy, about her size if not an inch taller, producing a blue flower, from pedal to center, with purple in the middle.

"Here.." the boy said in an all to familiar voice, "You can have mine.."

She gasped, "But!...You found it, the one true flower in the field of white!"

The boy shushed her, "No, you did. I'm not much of a flower person." he said with a ridiculously large grin.

She wrapped her arms around him in a hug, holding the blue flower.

Suddenly they both heard something coming up from behind them.

It was...Monk Gyatso?! He wasn't sure how, but he could remember this name, and it felt like pulling a muscle in his brain for his head began to hurt again.

"Ah!" Aang said, but no one could seem to hear him.

"Hello Misoa..." the kind Monk said to the little girl monkling. The Monk had the boy who had taken the flower from her by the ear at his side.

"Oh but I see you found another flower! And the rarest of them all! The one Blue in the field of white, this is part of legend my dear..."

She blushed brighter then her robe sash. The boy who had given it to her simply smiled and stepped back with his hands behind his back.

"Actually..." she said in a small voice, "Aang found it, he let me have it..."

"Just a moment young man." Monk Gyatso said making him stop in his tracks. "You gave her this? You found it?"

"Yes sir..." the boy said, who of course now was who Aang remembered was himself as a little boy. "I did."

"Why?" Monk Gyatso said, not letting the bigger air bender out of his grasp by his ear. "You realize whoever finds the blue flower, its believed that they will change the world in some form. Like the Avatar..."

Little Aang looked down, "I know. But Misoa was cry-...was sad, and...well I didn't mind. I don't think I could ever change the world."

Monk Gyatso smiled a little "Do you now?"

Aang remembered that look, that look that liked what he saw, the look that meant because Aang had acted as he had, and said what he said meant that he WAS fit to be Avatar.

"Such humility, such compassion." Monk Gyatso said, then turned to the bully he still had captive at his side. "Take note Tishona. These are the traits of an Air Monk, and a world changer. They will not take their way towards greatness, for greatness is not what they truly desire, but the greatness of those they love."

Aang was noticing the pain in his head was growing, but also being joined by a feeling that seemed to counter act it. Either way he grasped his head again as everything seemed to blur.

"Aang..." he said, "My name is...Avat-" he stopped himself as his head began to reel even more at the very mention of the word Avatar. He hadn't even been trying to say_ Avatar, _but when he tried to say his name, Avatar came out first.

He sank to his knees which suddenly felt immediately cold.

he looked up and saw a field of white before him, it was the Southern Pole.

"He's really light.." came a familiar voice.

He looked to his right to see a boy, tall and lanky underneath his poofy parka, he was carrying...well him, back with ...oh he could never forget her name, she was Katara.

He stood to his knees to talk to them "Katara...!" he called out, but suddenly his weight took its tole on what he was standing on, which was ice. He sank through it and fell into a blue-ish black murk of cold. Bubbles streamed from his nose as he kicked to get back to the surface. But the light from above disappeared like a lamp being snuffed.

Suddenly lights appeared all around him in the water, mostly underneath him, and they were getting closer.

Suddenly he felt that he was not the only one moving, the water was, it was moving him, moving him forwards towards the lights.

The lights passed by him or under him slowly, until suddenly he noticed something was glowing above him. He looked up to the see the silhouette of someone treading water above him, as if he was walking, and swiping his arms out like he was swatting flies.

Whenever he did, the water around him would shift drastically.

Suddenly Aang realized that not only could he breath, but that the person above him was him, and that he was on the inside of the Ocean Spirit Koizilla.

They were trampling through the Northern Water tribes streets, and the lights around him were the lanterns of the homes outside of the Ocean spirits body.

Aang, or rather he, was swiping Fire Nation away from roof tops and off of the streets in a mad rage. He could feel the rage in the water like heat, making it bubble close to Aang, like a coal being dunked into a cooling pot.

Aang swam up to his own foot to try to stop himself, but for whatever reason he could not swim up any higher no matter how hard he tried, or at least not far enough up to grab his leg.

Suddenly he looked over his shoulder to the front of the water behemoth and saw the red spark of fire from outside. He saw the water spirit on cue from him, grab the ommiter of the flame.

As the giant hand brought the prisoner closer, Aang could see that it was General Zhao.

Aang shut his eyes, "No! Don't!" he yelled. "Ruko! Gyatso! Make me stop!" He reached up with all his might and himself successfully grab his own foot.

However, this felt extremely abnormal for as soon as he did, he felt a hand on his own leg. Was he in an infinite loop or chain of grabbing his leg, that would look so weird. Still he didn't open his eyes, as he felt the motion of the water stopping.

However it wasn't cause the water itself was no longer moving, it was because while he was still treading, he was no longer in water. And the rushing he heard was no longer water, but...wind.

Suddenly he felt, not wet but...dry, tired, beaten. The foot he was holding onto suddenly vanished in his hand, but he could still feel someones hand on his own foot.

As he noticed there was light trying to pry into his closed eye slits, he opened them at once, and a grainy light flooded in.

As he blinked he saw that he was in a spiral of sand, on the inside of a tornado, outside of it were desert nomads trembling in fear.

He looked down, there grabbing his leg was Katara, with sad, sad eyes.

"Katara..." he said over the wind, "Katara I'm sorry! I didn't want any of this, I didn't want to put Appa in danger, or you...I didn't want to b-"

Suddenly she turned into a sand sculpture of herself.

"KATARA!" he screamed as she suddenly sank into the earth with a death grip on his leg.

It looked as if he was going to be dragged into the sand along with her, even against the suction of the sand storm.

Suddenly he heard "AANG?!" that wasn't Katara's voice. "Aang help me!" the moment he heard that voice, the sand beating against his face felt harder, and wet, and cold.

"Aang please..." the voice said choked by crying. Suddenly Aang felt a boiling on the inside of him, and with new found strength jerked his leg, causing the sand mold on his foot to shatter like bread crust.

As he turned around, in a blur of motion, he was suddenly on a sloped hillside in the ring at the top of a mountain, with lightning and thunder going off all around.

He recognized that voice, he knew he did. He began yelling out over the storm "I'm coming!" whilst looking frantically from left to right across the slopes.

"Aang please help me..." he could hear the voice say through sobs.

Somehow Aang could tell that he would not be able to find her in this...dream, vision, spirit walk or whatever this was unless he said her name. He wrestled internally for the right name.

"I'm coming...!" he said, suddenly lightning crashed and he heard a scream.

"TY LEE! I'm coming Ty Lee!" he bellowed as if he hadn't been breathing till just now. The moment he said the name as the lightning struck, he could see Ty Lee, dangling by a root in the side of the mountain, only a few yards from him where she hadn't been before.

Aang dashed across the slanted rocky walkway, using air bending to glide faster to her.

Somehow though, he was not getting any closer to her, and she was slipping.

"Aang!" she shrieked, and then almost whispered, "Aang...?" as if she was pleading with him quietly.

"I'm trying Ty Lee!" Aang called to her, "I can't move past here!" suddenly she lost her hand hold and was now only holding on by one hand, and her other hands finger tips.

"ROKU!" Aang yelled, "Gyatso, somebody! Help me! I have to save her!"

Suddenly in a clang of sparks, a chain hit the rock near where he was standing, he turned around to see the Slave Master of the mountain, waving his chain over his head again.

"Only you can save her!..." came Roku's voice like thunder from the clouds. As Aang looked at the clouds themselves he could see they were forming Roku's face.

"I can't!" Aang said, the chain whipped even closer to his footing, and Ty Lee lost her fingers grips, only hanging by one hand. "I can't save anyone!..." he said grasping his again throbbing head. He looked down at the rocks which had become the skulls of the air temple students and teachers under his feet. "I can't save anyone..."

"You are the Avatar, you can!" Roku thundered.

Suddenly lightning struck again from the clouds, as if from Roku's cloudy beard, the lightning suddenly morphed into an electrifying image of Bushu the Gulper Eel Seal, "Is this seriously all you got kid?" the spirit asked him in a crackly voice like sparks.

"Yes! I Gave my everything and I still let everyone down, I can't be Avatar! I shouldn't be, I should never have been!..." as he said so he could feel himself sinking into the compilations of skulls and tattered air bending robes bellow him. "I even lost the Avatar state!...I should never have-"

"Aang!" Ty Lee screamed again, as she suddenly wasn't dangling from the side of the cliff anymore, so much as trying to keep the avalanche of skulls and bones from burring her or pushing her off the side of the cliff.

"I even let Ty Lee down! Katara, everyone!-..." he said, his head swimming from the pain, sinking to his knees and almost going waist deep in the tide of the dead. "I'm sorry Ty L-"

"Aang I'm sorry..." came a soft still voice, that sounded like Ty Lee's but it was echoing, like the thunder but without the rumbling.

"You're all I have right now, and the world needs you more then I do, just do it again please...do the impossible again. Come back to me please, even if I can't have you..."

Upon hearing this, Aang stopped sinking, and was able to look up from his knees to see Ty Lee before him at a few yards away, reaching for him, but now an Air temple sash was snaking its way in the commotion around her arms so she was being dragged even more so into the vortex of skulls and rocks going down.

"Aang listen to her!" Thundered Roku's voice. "Listen this time!"

"This time?" Aang said blinking.

The Slave masters chain beat so close to his head it nearly grazed him.

"Yes!" Roku said, "You've been unresponsive for weeks...holding onto life. And everytime your memories try to form again, everytime you've reached out to me for help and we try...you prevent your mind from healing!"

Aang looked up at the cloud formation and lightning spirit. "For weeks...? But why would I keep myself from healing on purpose!"

"Cause you don't wanna remember kid..." Bushu said matter of factly, with a pinch of sadness. "You don't wanna accept being Avatar, so you don't take your memories...or your right mind..."

Suddenly why Aang was on the outside looking in on himself made sense, he was distancing himself...from himself, from his mistakes.

"Aang...Accept what you've done...accept what you have to do..." Roku pleaded. "I fear if you keep repressing this, if you turn away awakening again, you will not be able to call on us again for help, or awake at all..."

"Then I wouldn't be me when I woke up, this would all be a dream.." Aang almost whispered.

"Kid..." Bushu said worried.

He looked over at Ty Lee who was about to call out to him again but the sash had now looped around her mouth gagging her as she was pulled into the heap.

Aang looked at the last of Ty Lee's eyes sinking bellow the mass of bones, and looked down, "I'm sorry Ty Lee..." he said. And with that, he sunk all the way into the mass himself.

"AANG!" Roku bellowed like thunder. "KID!" Bushu echoed.

But it was to late, Aang was gone, and the chain whip of Feizu cracked a skull where Aang's had been.

Suddenly there was a bright glowing blew light that shown from the eye balls of one of the skulls, that turned into a light that shown from behind ALL of the bones of the Air Nomads, growing brighter and brighter.

The apparition of Feizu the slave lord looked over his shoulder from where he had previously turned to go.

"Come on Kid..." Bushu said, allowing that all too huge of a smirk to snake around his face.

Suddenly Aang burst out of the skulls carrying Ty Lee in his arms, air bending from his feet, his eyes were aglow.

"Accept what you did kid..." Bushu said.

Aang looked at Bushu in the clouds, crouching like he was going to pounce on him from them. "Accept what you still have to do..." he continued.

Feizu roared in rage and jerked his chain at Aang again, who shut his eyes and reached out his hand towards the clouds.

The moment he did, the Lighting spirit shot out of the clouds in the form of a lighting bolt right at Aang's arm, getting in the way of the chain he grabbed in mid air.

Aang suddenly felt a rash of pain like never before, not just in his head, but in his body, like his entire being was being snapped back into joint after being dislocated.

He felt the pain of losing Ty Lee the first time, the shame of not finding her soon enough, the disappointment on Katara's face, him burning her hands, the look in Jet's eyes as he realized he couldn't save him from death. He felt the pain of Appa's empty unheard lonely roars, and the sting of his own cruel words at everyone out of anger at himself for losing Appa. He felt the agony of not knowing how else to defeat Feizu on the mountain top, and the guilt of having had a part to play in ending him. Lastly he felt the heart break of losing everyone he knew, and everyone he loved from his temple, and the anger along with it, at the fire nation and himself again.

All this he felt one right after the other without pause. It made him grip the chain so hard he felt his knuckles would break.

Amongst the sizzling cracking of electricity running all over him, he heard the snapping voice of Bushu saying. "Let, it go..."

Right as Aang thought his body and mind would give out, he heard Ty Lee's voice again, he couldn't even tell what she was mumbling, just that she was speaking. Looking down at her in his arm, he could see that if he held onto it for to long, she would also be electrocuted, she would also be harmed because he was holding it in.

Aang expelled the pain, out through the chain the same way it came in, letting it go, and Bushu shout out of him like an enormous electric dragon at Feizu with a triumphant static like roar.

The image of Feizu screamed before he dissolved from being hit by Bushu. Aang suddenly felt like shackles were off of his feet, and he and Ty Lee shot further off the mountain side ground towards Roku's stormy cloud formation.

As they neared the light beyond the clouds, Aang could again hear the GONG of the Air Temple, it went a few times more before Aang realized it wasn't in the pattern that the Air monks would ring it. In fact, as he got closer to the sky, and further from the storm, he could tell the bell was completely different sounding then the Air Temples Gong.

Ty Lee began to blink and come to in his arms, and before he could look down at her, they burst from the cloud bank into bright blue open sky, and blinding light.

* * *

Aang suddenly lurched up out of bed, gasping for air as if he'd been underwater the entire time he was asleep. He blinked to adjust his eyes to the dark of whatever room he was in, the Gong was still going off.

As he listened to it he realized the gong was actually a ships bell.

Aang also realized the pain his lightning catching arm was coming from the bandages that were embalmed around his left shoulder down to his finger tips.

His head was still spinning from his memories coming back or rather reattaching themselves like nerve endings, especially after being rejected for so long till now.

"Ty Lee?!" Aang said touching his head. "Katara...?"

He reached over and grabbed the one candle he had for light in the dark room and raised it.

"Hello-" he voice caught in his throat.

Across from him was a Fire Nation Navel banner. He was in a cabin of a Fire Nation Ship.


	55. Chapter 55

**Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee**

_Consciousness_

Ty Lee paced along the deck of the boat hugging her arms. This was getting maddening. She had looked at herself in the mirror recently and hardly recognized herself, that bubbly, joyful toned aura of hers had diminished.

She was with Aang again, but he was not with any of them, and hadn't been these past few weeks which was bleeding into being months.

Katara was like his watch dog, or at least seemed so to her. She felt like anytime she had with Aang was like a certain amount of time allowed for a prisoner to have a visitor, only Aang wasn't the prisoner, it was her.

She had already given her story from front to back to the group, and to the Water tribes Captain; Katara's father Hakoda. Toph had confirmed for him and all the assembly that she wasn't lying, or even under some sort of hypnosis, as Sokka had suggested could be possible due to whatever procedure they had put the JooDee's through in Ba Sing Se.

Still it was difficult to sway anyone that she was 100% trust worthy, and really why should they think so?

Toph seemed to be the only one who was legitimately giving her a chance, Sokka was overly suspicious in his cute over protective manner which more often then not made her laugh internally without him trying to be funny, the Sand Bender who merely kept to himself seemed to have no opinion whatsoever, but like the rest of them, watched her like a falcon.

It was like she was a time bomb of betrayal, and they were all waiting to punt her over board at the first sign of her blowing. It was like when she was in the circus and it seemed like everyone was looking at her, waiting for her to fail, almost hoping for her too.

But this was a tougher crowd then any she had ever faced, and the one person who made her feel like she could do it was out of it, and didn't even remember his own name, much less her.

"This long at sea and still feeling queezy...?" came a voice from behind her. By the stillness and deepness of it she could tell it was the sand bender Daiken.

"I'm sorry?" she said rubbing her eyes. This of course was humor for Daiken as she had not been sea sick one day on this ship, but the joke was lost on her right now.

"You seem unwell..." He said plainly.

"Is it that obvious?" Ty Lee said looking at the murky see fog.

"How is the Avatar?" he asked.

She sighed a hurt sigh, "Tossing and turning still...he hasn't woken up yet fully, or recognized any of us."

He didn't say anything but folded his arms looking at the water himself.

She turned from him to watch the sea again, she felt like she was dying her. She was the talkative, perky, optimistic one who never understood fully what was going on. Maybe that's why she could always look on the bright side of things, she didn't fully understand how dark matters could get, but it helped her friends look past what she couldn't see, and that was enough for her.

Now she did fully understand everything, and the prospect that Aang might be gone had sucked that very nature from her, as if her own personality had amnesia too.

"You're helping you know..." Daiken said.

Ty Lee spun her head to look at him, "What do you mean?"

"When you see him, when you speak to him, you're helping more then you think..." Daiken said, still looking at the waves, the wind blow his fire nation shawl a little.

Ty Lee blinked, "How do you know that?"

"When he stirs from his sleep when you speak with him." Daiken said.

Ty Lee shook her head, "But he doesn't remember me...and I confuse him more then anything, and when I make him worse Katara glares at me with that look I can't return. It's like she's asking me to fix something I've done...I always leave because I can't deal with it."

Daiken cut in, "He stirs when Katara speaks with him as well, even Toph when she tries rough talking him out of his state. But with you it is different...it is as though he desperately wants to remember when you are there."

Ty Lee just stared. "How can you tell...?"

Daiken looked down over the side of the boat, "I know what it's like to see the fight in an animal, a person, a foe. He has that when he hears your voice."

Ty Lee felt a smile trying to break out of her mouth, could she really hope?

"I'll check on him again when his girlfriend isn't there to shoe me away..."

Daiken chuckled a little putting a hand on the railing.

"You believe that to be the position you are in...?" he asked.

"Well...she is..." Ty Lee said. "I shouldn't have tried anything between us..."

Daiken looked at the moon that was beginning to shine from behind the clouds. "The moon is with us." he said.

She sighed.

Daiken did not reply so she just began walking back.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked. "That I'll keep this up? That I'm strong enough for this? I've lost everything and no one here wants me here or with any of them...again."

Daiken turned to look at her, still saying nothing.

"He wants you here." he said meeting her eyes.

Ty Lee jabbed her chest with her two fingers "HE doesn't remember who I am! I don't know who I am! Why is this important to you anyway?"

Daiken sighed, "Because I'm seeing someone who has perhaps sacrificed the most to gain what little she'll receive in return. And he knows...don't give up because he needs you not to, we all do. Your a way he can come back...we do need you."

Ty Lee turned around scoffing a little with a hurt noise.

"So it's on me again, I'm supposed to be this magical pill for him...that can fix everything...I'm not good enough for him to want to come back...you're very kind Daiken sir, but...you're wrong. If he does come back, it won't be because of-"

"Ty Lee...?!" came a weak voice from the side.

Both Daiken and Ty Lee turned to see Aang supporting himself against the metallic door of the ship's inner quarters.

"...Aang.." Ty Lee said over a whisper.

Before she knew it, she was an inch from him, her legs carrying her to him without a moments hesitation, her arms out to catch him as his hands slipped from the doors bar.

She straddled him with her arms as he squeezed her for support.

"Ty Lee!" Aang said weakly, "Is this still my dream?"

"This is no dream..." Daiken said approaching with a grin on his face.

"Daiken!" Aang said, his eyes adjusting to the dark of outside.

"Why are we on a Fire Nation ship?!" he asked, his body tensing suddenly.

"Twinkle toes!" came a familiar voice from inside the ship.

Ty Lee forced herself to let Aang go a little as his head jerked up and looked over his shoulder, "Toph!"

Toph Be Fong and the Duke bounded up the steps onto the deck, followed by Pipsqueak, all dressed as Fire Nation soldiers, or in a Fire Nation poncho.

"Toldja he'd be alright!" Toph said, hitting Pipsqueak in his massive arm.

Aang shook his head, as if he had just been hit across the face and was regaining his senses.

"I..." he started, "I don't..."

Then he noticed the quivering hands of Ty Lee's on his own arms still, then looked up at her, some of her unkept hair in front of her face.

"You remember me..." was what she could manage to say.

Aang wasn't quite sure how to take that. It was all very fuzzy but...the dream! He had had amnesia this entire time!

"Yes...yes I remember!" Aang said suddenly taking her own arms firmly.

"I remember you and...Katara? Where is Katara...?" he said.

The small smile that had been crawling over her face suddenly dropped.

Aang tilted his head, "And why am I on a Fire Nation ship...why are any of us?!"

"We captured it...well Katara's dad did..." Ty Lee said quietly.

"...Aang!" came the voice of Katara from behind Toph and the rest.

They parted to reveal Katara pushing past everyone, Sokka behind her.

Aang looked over his shoulder at her, "Katara..." he said tiredly but happily.

There were tears on Katara's face, and glee on Sokka's. Ty Lee's hands slowly slid off of his arms.

Katara was suddenly on him as if she had telleported somehow. Hugging him tightly.

"You woke up...you remember!" she said happily through teary eyes.

"Hey buddy!" Sokka said, "How does it feel to defeat death himself! And his annoying little brother Amnesia!"

Daiken glanced from the re-united two to Ty Lee, who simply remained on her knees with her hands limply on the ground at her sides.

Aang did hug Katara back eventually, "Yes...I do...I remember all of you...and that I failed...I failed in Ba Sing Se...Zuko turned on us..."

"Well he's a Fire Nation Prince, of course he did..." said Pipsqueak.

Ty Lee flinched at the term Fire Nation in the way it was used and slowly stood up.

Aang let go of Katara and forced himself to stand to his feet.

"Where's Appa, where's my glider?" he asked.

"It's by your bed..." Ty Lee said over a whisper, "We thought you holding it would bring back memories..."

Katara spoke up next, "And Appa's sleeping behind the observation deck."

Aang turned to Ty Lee, and "You...everyone, you helped me come back..." he said.

Everyone smiled at that.

"I believe your return to us is just what the doctor ordered for many on this ship." Daiken said glancing at Ty Lee in a way that almost seemed like he was trying to direct Aang to her.

"I thought we'd lost you..." Katara said still hugging his neck, to which he put a hand on her arm in return but gasped a little.

"Step back sister, give him some air!" Toph said shaking her head as she tugged Katara off of Aang.

"Sorry sorry..." Katara said wiping her eyes.

"Well well..." came a voice from above them. They all looked up to see Hadoka looking down at them from the top railing of the observation balcony.

"Miracles do happen...It's an honor to have you aboard Avatar Aang."

His face was kind and chizzled, like a sailors would be, complete with the burly physic of someone who's pulled in many masts during a storm.

It was Obvious where Sokka god his expressions however, as well as where Katara got her fierce blue eyes.

Sokka eyes lit up as his dad descended down the steps to them, "Oh Aang! This is our dad! The one who helped capture this ship and the one that's a few days ahead of us!"

"Other ship?" Aang said blinking.

"We captured two Fire Nation vessels on different occasions." Hadoka explained, "We now have a way to infiltrate the Fire Nation successfully unbeknownst."

Sokka piped up, "We're going ahead with the attack on the day of Black Sun where the Fire Nation won't have any power."

"But..." Aang said, "Everyone knows I failed...that..."

"Actually no!" Sokka said, "Even better, everyone thinks you're dead!"

Aang's eyes enlarged and honestly looked like he was about to fall forwards again.

Katara, Sokka, and Toph bounded to help him up regain his balance, but somehow Ty Lee was up before everyone else.

"Re-introductions are nice but you need to lie back down..." Toph said putting a hand on his back.

"She's right." Hadoka said, "Take him to his room, the cook'll make something warm for him when he wakes up."

Sokka nodded, "Good thinking dad."

Katara simply looked purposefully away from her father.

They all began moving Aang back inside the ship, their arms under his. Ty was part of this until she saw a glance from Katara that might have made her let go completely where it not for the fact that, Aang's grasp on her hand had not eased. So she continued to squeeze his back, as if it was a life line.

* * *

Fire Nation: Coastal Road

Brago looked out the window of the stage coach taking him to the palace. He looked out at the moon over the sea as the sound of the ocean got further and further.

It was the same moon he had looked at with his adopted sister before he had left, and promised her that he'd they would still be best of sibblings when he did return.

He didn't imagine that it would happen this soon, knowing how his father worked, he most likely wouldn't have returned till he was 27 at the most, and his sister would already be married off and cold the way that he wanted her to be, and that their mother would allow her to be.

But now here he was, returning home...but he had still been beaten to his sister, she was married off already, and he had found out to late.

Suddenly he heard small little bells ring, and looked across form him at the seat in front of him to see his little step sister, in a brides gown, her beautiful blonde hair all up in an intricate design, but with the saddest face he'd ever seen.

"No..." he said leaning forwards.

"Brago?"

She suddenly said in a voice that wasn't hers.

He blinked his eyes awake to see himself catching himself from leaning anymore forwards.

In front of him was not his sister but Mai, who's head was still partially on Zuko's shoulder as he slept.

He quickly looked to the side to see Azula asleep as well, motionless like a statue with her hands on her thighs.

"Sorry..." he whispered apologetically. "Just a dream..."

Mai simply nodded and closed her eyes as he tried to re-position himself in a way he could sleep in...away from Azula.

But as soon as he re-closed his, she re-opened hers, looking at Zuko first...and then at Brago with a sad look...

* * *

Later on the stolen ship

Aang looked down at his hands as he sat on the edge of his bed. Taking everything in was like lifting weights in his brain, and it was tiring, but he couldn't stop thinking now that his mind was clicking again.

So much he had to take in, to understand...and the decision making wasn't over...he knew...he hated it but he knew.

Suddenly the door to his room opened and he saw Katara enter the room, he smiled, she was here, just as he had requested.

Meanwhile outside, Ty Lee saw Katara walk the rest of the way inside, and the door shut behind her.

Ty Lee ran down the corridor of the ship into her own room past Sokka and Toph.

"Hey!" Sokka said "Whats the rush?"

Toph put a hand on Sokka's chest to make him stop, "Leave her alone Sokka..."

Even though she had the super hearing, she didn't need it to know that she was now crying in her room on her bed.


	56. Chapter 56

**Avatar the Last Air Bender:Alterations: Aang/Lee**

_Relentless Life_

Longshot sharpened his arrows while swinging his leg over the rim of the metallic crows nest of the Fire Nation ship. He closed one eye to put the arrow he was holding up to scale with the moon behind the clouds, eclipsing it completely.

A slight wind blew and he instinctively caught Jet's reed without looking, then placed it back in his basket hat where it had remained these past few months.

He heard the clank clank, of someone coming up the metal ladder to him, judging by the weight that was pulling on the ladder and the steps he guessed it was Daiken.

Sure enough he saw the gold tinted eyes of the Sand Nomad peaking up above the rim of the crows nest.

"Have you seen anything?" Daiken asked as Longshot moved over for him, then shook his head.

Daiken just slouched in a similar fashion to Longshot but a bit more rigid. "If our luck holds out...that will remain so."

Longshot took out his second arrow lining it up to be parallel with the other.

Daiken nodded, "I suppose that does make sense...while it is sound judgement to have two Fire Nation ships sailing together, they have their own troubles to worry about coming from the South, and they carry supplies, not the Avatar with them."

Longshot glanced at him while raising an eyebrow, to which Daiken shrugged a shoulder, "It is out of our hands if they are, but I do not think they will be so careless."

Longshot looked down at the door leading to the bowls of the ship on the deck.

Daiken sighed and shook his head, "He is...fairing as well as he may, he's got allot to juggle now that he is awake. And I fear it will not be an easy affair to deal with."

He looked back at Longshot who in turn glanced at the moon. Daiken nodded. "Aye, it has gotten later, I'm sure their talk is all the more meaningful for being so long."

* * *

_Ty Lee's cabin_

Ty Lee blinked her eyes awake, sniffling at the sound of a knock on her metallic door.

"Who's there...?" she asked after an insentient continuation suggested the knocker would not give up.

True to form Toph came in without a moments hesitation, "You're crying's going to give me a headache." she said.

Ty Lee didn't sit up from laying on her stomach and hugging her pillow. "I'm sorry..." she muffled. "I'm sorry I'm even here..."

Toph walked up to her bed side, "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked folding her arms.

Ty Lee rolled some to look at her , "Because you all hate me..." she said.

"We've been through this..." Toph said aggravatedly. "We have to be cautious, I mean what do you expect?"

Ty Lee sighed, "Absolutely nothing. You should be suspicious of me, I hurt him before right?" she rolled back onto her stomach.

"Well are you going to hurt him again?" Toph asked bluntly.

"No." Ty Lee said frowning.

Toph nodded, "And I hear you telling the truth!" she said tapping her ear and sitting on the bed, "What more is it? He's alive, you helped, Daiken told me. He's come around! Why aren't you happy?"

"Yes he remembers!" Ty Lee said sitting up, "But what parts? The part where I betrayed him, or all of you? Do the good parts outweigh the bad?"

Toph shook her head, "If this'll keep you from blubbering then here goes...He's been through allot, think about that, he only just got his marbles back and both you and Katara are frantic about who remembers what? He remembers he's the Avatar! He remembers what he has too do, think about that, about that weight! He's juggling all that, after JUST coming back to his old self, I'm surprised he isn't rolling around in his head right now."

Ty Lee sat cross legged, "Yeah but- Wait...me and Katara?" she said, failing at concealing her curiosity.

Toph shrugged, "Him and her went through allot, they said allot of things, did allot of things, meant even more things to each other. They also did things that didn't help that...allot. I'm pretty sure she's scrambling to see who's on first base in his mind too."

Ty Lee moved her hair out of her eye, "I know...you're right. It's just...I thought I meant something to him, that'd never happened before, like that anyway. Not the way he showed it."

Toph leaned on her arm, "Ugh if this is going to be a mushy tale..."

Ty Lee shook her head, "No I'm sorry. I mean...I didn't, I still don't get what he sees in someone like me. I'm a Fire Nation...we...hurt him, we hurt you all. Our ancestors hurt his...his best friends. He glared at me as if it was my fault on that mountain just because I was Fire Nation. But then when he saved me the look on his face to see if I was okay was just...I'll never forget it."

Toph didn't reply but just stared at her leaning her cheek on her hand, obviously not wanting unneeded details, but she was listening.

"I never wanted to disappoint someone him ever again after that...and I couldn't understand why at first."

Toph nodded and finished for her, "And then you realized you got the bigger picture, the world needs someone like him if he can see something to smile about in you, yes?"

Ty Lee blinked and nodded, "Was I talking word for word?"

Toph shrugged, "Yeah but it didn't sound rehearsed, it just sounded like the truth all over again, why change how you word it? Look if what you said's true, you've got to be in this for Aang, what his job is AS avatar...it's going to suck but what all this is will have to take a back seat for a while."

Ty Lee nodded, "I knew it would have to the moment he woke up...I just didn't know this part would hurt this bad. Do you have family at home you miss? Or a crush?"

Toph cleared her throat, "Let's not change the subject. Look you're hurting, I can tell by how you breath and how you act and talk. Just don't sink into despair before anyone's actually shot at your hull yet."

Ty tapped her fingers on her knees, then smiled a bit at Toph, "I think I'm starting to see..."

"See what?" Toph said.

Ty Lee shrugged a little, "Where Aang get's his strong tone from."

Toph stretched her toes out, "Eh, took forever for Twinkle toes to come out of his shell and be assertive but, I like to think he's where he is cause'a me."

Ty Lee smiled, "Well I'm glad you did. You seem like someone who slaps you with bluntness, but you mean well, cause you actually care. I'm not exactly used to someone barking at me and wanting me to actually improve, genuinely."

Toph flicked her forehead, "Get out of your own head. We aren't like those jerks, no offense...well, yeah, offense intended, but they were. We may not warm up to you right away, but we aren't gonna judge you like they are."

Toph was cut off by surprise by a hug from Ty Lee. "Whoa Ms. braids." she said pushing Ty off, but no to roughly. "I didn't mean we'd get all sentimental either."

Ty Lee just smiled, "Sorry..." she said embarrassed. "I just needed that..."

Suddenly they heard foot steps walking down the metal gang plank of the ship outside her door, they were fast, and they were angry, at least by the way Toph heard them, and she knew who it was who was heading to the deck and then were quiet.

After a pause, a more normal sounding set of steps were heard and there was another knock on Ty Lee's door.

Ty Lee was about to say come in but Toph said, "What is it Sokka."

Sokka's big eared head popped into the door way, "Hey ya, am I interrupting anything?" he asked.

"Not really." Toph said.

"Not some interrogation...anything?" Sokka asked narrowing his eyes in a suspicious way, which although it's context, had to make Ty Lee giggle to herself.

"What do you want long legs?" Toph said cutting to the chase.

"Well Aang wants to see Ty Lee." Sokka said, sounding confused.

"Me...?" Ty Lee said, "Why?"

Sokka shrugged, "Heck if I know, he's been to himself ever since he found out we're at sea and everyone thinks he's dead. Suddenly he starts wanting to see all of us in person and one at a time."

Ty Lee bit her lip and stood up, walking by Sokka before he finished.

"And I think that- Hey, wait...where are you- Oh right, Aang." Sokka said spinning around as she walked around him.

Toph nudged Sokka out of the door to Ty's room.

"What now?!" Sokka said utterly confused.

"Go talk to your sister you big dope..." Toph said.

* * *

Ty Lee knocked on Aang's door timidly, barely loud enough to be heard.

"Come in." she could hear Aang's voice say.

She took a deep breath and inched inside. The door creaked louder then it needed to, and even though the room was lit, it seemed to dim.

Aang sat with his hands on his knees, the look on his face was one who had just had to do something awful, and tiring...

"Are you alright...?" she asked without thinking.

He looked up at her and smiled a small smile. "Yeah, thank you..."

The pause was unbearable, even though it wsan't that long, finally Ty Lee started, looking down.

"Aang I'm..." she thought the rest of her words through, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you, I'm sorry I hurt your friends...I'm sorry I've been this big-"

"Thank you..." Aang said.

"What?" Ty Lee asked looking up at him.

"Thank you for bringing me back..." he said.

"What are you talking about, Katara was with you every day..." she said, her voice shaking. She saw him getting up and didn't know whether to recoil or rush to help him.

She made it half way before she saw him stabilizing himself, then stood awkwardly in front of him.

"I know..." Aang said, "I spoke with her...I was so worried I lost her...that I lost everyone."

Ty Lee looked down again.

"But then you." he continued, Ty Lee's breath caught.

"You were the reflex, you were what snapped me out of my loop of wanting to deny everything. I've had allot of time to think, even before waking up and...I know that this entire time...while everyone was pleading for me to come back, even though I failed. You asked for me to come back...even if you couldn't have me back...you said it was cause the world needed me. That's what I didn't want to accept and I still don't...but you reminded of that...Even if the world doesn't need me, it needs ME not to give up more..."

Ty Lee nodded some, "I know you won't...you never have since I've known you."

Aang wasn't finished, "...and I'm going to need help, if I'm supposed to do this...and I need you too Ty Lee."

Ty Lee breathe caught once more before he said, "Ty Lee, I _want_ you."

Ty Lee looked up then jumped a little to see he had made his way closer to her while talking.

"What...?" Ty Lee said through a gasp almost inaudible.

"I want you with me Ty Lee. Inspite of everything, anything you've said or done...or that I've said or thought I meant. Whatever anyone else here has said...I need _you_."

Ty Lee studdered, "B-but...Katara, you and she...-"

Aang shook his head, "I told her the truth...I hope she can live with that...but the truth is...it's you who I want with me as much as Toph or Sokka or anyg of the gang..."

Ty shut her eyes briefly and only then realized her cheeks were wet, "Why...?" she asked.

"...Because I'm in love you." Aang said. "Because out of all the things you think you are or don't think you are...I never want you to think your replaceable...not to me."

"Aang..." she mouthed without sound before covering her mouth, which exploded into a teary gasp when she felt herself being pulled into a hug.

"I thought...-" she began, but Aang "Shhhh'd..." her genitally, till she hugged him back tightly.

"I was so scared that even if you remembered you wouldn't want-..." she started again, but never finished before Aang took her face in his hands and hushed her with a kiss.

The moment he did she threw her arms around him, kissing him back and hugging his neck. Suddenly he fell backwards on the bed and he continued kissing even though he winced from it.

She kissed him as if she was just now able to use him to breath after holding her breath for so long.

Finally she took a breath from him, looking down into his eyes. "Why is life so complicated?" she asked.

Aang smiled a little, "It's relentless...life always has been, it's frightening and loud and confusing...and beautiful." he said the last part stroking her cheek.

She held his hand against her face shutting her eyes.

"And we have to take it...let it go...accept it and let it go...accepting what we're meant to keep." he said.

She bit her lips together into a smile before whispering happily, "And you want to keep me...?"

"If you'll let me..." Aang said smiling a slightly larger, more Aang-like smile. "Does that bode good vibes for your ora..."

Ty Lee's smiled a smile likened to Aang's as she said, "You can't even imagine..." before leaning down to kiss him again.

Suddenly they were interrupted by a sneeze and a cough, to which they heard Pipsqueaks "Bless you." and The Duke's "SHHH!"

Aang and Ty Lee immediately sat up to see the last of their two pairs of eyes disappearing from their cracked open door.

"Bless you..." Aang called over Ty's shoulder after them.

"...Thanks..." came Pipsqueaks ashamed voice.

Ty Lee couldn't help but giggle.

* * *

Katara slammed the front door to the deck open, and folded her arms so distinctly that it looked as though an iron locking sound should've been heard.

"Katara..." came a voice from behind her, one she knew to be her fathers.

"Sorry, I'm busy." she said bitterly.

"Katara...I..." he persisted.

"NOT. NOW!" She said doing a horrid job of hiding the hurt in her voice.

"Okay..." Her father said before sinking back into the ship.

She grasped onto the rails of the ship as if they would break and tried to regulate her shaky breath.

"Sis...?" she heard Sokka say from behind her.

She didn't turn around but tensed.

"Please go away..." she said allot quieter then she meant to.

Sokka shook his head, "No...this is to much. We've all seen how much of a tole Aang's had on you, and now with the way your being with dad-"

"There's allot on my mind okay! Allot more then just dad! Or Just Aang...or JUST that everyone seems to not be there for me when I need them...OKAY!" She said finally turning around.

Sokka's eyes were large as ever, but he stood his ground. "Ok." he said through a sigh.

Katara after staring, half glaring, threw her arms around her brother and sobbed into his chest.

"Sis..." Sokka said, trying to wrap his head around what this was all about. "Dad was-"

"I don't wanna talk about dad..." Katara said.

Sokka blinked, hugging back. He had a feeling their was listeng from bellow deck or near the stairs so he changed the subject for those who could hear, "And Aang...he's been a veggie for the past few weeks, how could he be-"

"Just stop okay..." Katara said through a sniffle. "And it wasn't him not being there for me...I wasn't there for him, for that one time, just once...when I wasn't there for him like i should've been. Now I'm paying for it...now I'm paying for everything."

Sokka just continued to hug his crying sister, unsure what to do.

Meanwhile from above, Longshot began to slowly stand in his crows nest atop the ship, narrowing his eyes at the distance.

* * *

Bellow deck

Hakoda sighed rubbing his eyes before feeling a hardy slap on his shoulder. He turned to see his friend Tanroq smiling up at him.

"Do not blame yourself, blame this war, it makes imperfect parents of us all..." he said.

Hadoka shook his head, "That sounds so much like an excuse...and it doesn't effect or change that my daughter won't even look at me."

Tanroq squeezed his shoulder before tapping his chest with a scroll.

"Maybe Tsuno knows what to do...a womans advice can always help."

Hadoka sighed and smiled a bit before taking it.

"I don't want to trouble her, she's got enough to worry about on her own ship. And I'm Katara's father, i should take this on myself..." he unrolled the scroll and looked it once over as he opened the hatch to outside.

"Besides there's no more room on her to add in how I'm feeling at the moment..." he added before re-tying the scroll up and walking over to some of the Pigeon Hawks cages.

He was just about to open one of their doors when there was a CAW of a Pigeon Hawk from the bird hole facing the sea. A new message came fluttering in on the last bird they'd sent out.

Hadoka unwrapped the new scroll and read it over.

"Oh no.." he said.

"What?" Tanroq asked.

"Fire Nation patrol!" they heard from above deck, "Two Fire Nation Patrol ships, coming in fast!"


End file.
